Gender Variance and the Autism Spectrum: An Examination of Children Ages 6-12 Years.

Nabbijohn et al. (2019) asked parents of 6- to 12-year-old children to fill out two short checklists. One listed autism-like behaviors. The other listed gender-variant interests or play.

The sample was large and came from regular schools, not clinics. No child needed an autism diagnosis to take part.

Kids whose parents saw more autism traits also scored higher on gender variance. The link showed up strongest in social-orienting problems and rigid, repetitive play.

The pattern appeared across the whole sample, not only in children already diagnosed with ASD.

Engstrom et al. (2015) saw the same overlap from the opposite side: 27 % of youth already in gender clinics scored in the severe autism-trait range. Together, the two studies draw a circle—each condition raises the chance of the other.

Hsiao et al. (2013) showed that autism-like social deficits hurt grades and friendships. Natisha’s team adds gender variance as another early flag you may spot on the playground.

Kiep et al. (2017) remind us that girls with ASD often hide their struggles. Camouflage could explain why some gender-variant girls are missed until later years.

If you assess school-age children, add two quick questions about preferred play and dress. A child who shows both rigid play and gender-nonconforming interests may need a closer social-communication screen even without an ASD label. Catching both areas early lets you write goals that honor identity and build peer skills at the same time.