Executive functioning in autism spectrum disorders: a gender comparison of response inhibition.

Researchers gave a stop-signal task to adolescents with autism and typical peers. They split each group by sex to see who pressed slower when told to hold back. The task measures response inhibition — the split-second brake you use to stop an action.

Only girls with autism hit the brake more slowly than all other groups. Boys with autism stopped just as fast as typical boys. The female-only lag shows inhibition is not a blanket autism problem — sex matters.

Dall et al. (1997) once found no inhibition deficit in autism at all. Their sample mixed boys and girls, so the girl-specific lag was hidden. Amore et al. (2011) uncovers the sex split, solving the old puzzle.

Morrison et al. (2017) later asked parents to rate daily executive skills. Parents also scored girls with autism lower than boys, even when core autism traits were equal. The lab task and home ratings now agree: real-life inhibition is tougher for girls.

Padmanabhan et al. (2015) tracked inhibition across age. Kids with autism did not get faster as they grew, while typical kids did. The 2011 girl deficit fits inside this flat trajectory — adolescent girls still sit at the slow end.

When you test inhibition, check sex first. A boy who stops on time may still need help elsewhere, while a girl who looks similar on social scores may secretly struggle with impulse control. Add girl-specific inhibition goals to her plan — shorter work periods, extra pause cues, or self-monitoring scripts. Share the data with parents so they expect homework meltdowns stem from a brake problem, not defiance.