Parent-reported differences between school-aged girls and boys on the autism spectrum.
Parents see the same core autism in girls and boys, but girls hide symptoms and pick gender-typical interests, so probe deeper during assessment.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Sutherland et al. (2017) asked parents of school-aged kids with autism one simple question: do you see any real differences between your girls and boys?
They used a survey. Parents filled out forms about core autism traits, special interests, and day-to-day behaviors.
What they found
Parents said the main autism features looked almost the same in girls and boys.
The only clear gaps were in special interests: girls liked fashion, animals, or pop stars, while boys leaned toward maps, timetables, or numbers.
Parents also wrote that girls often hide their struggles in public, a trick many call masking.
How this fits with other research
Conlon et al. (2019) asked parents the same question and got the same answer: core traits match, but girls tell richer stories and plan their play more.
Matson et al. (2009) looked at toddlers and saw the opposite: girls had bigger language delays. The gap flips with age, so watch the calendar before you judge severity.
Harrop et al. (2017) watched preschool play and found girls still picked dolls while boys chose cars. Gender-typical interests start early and stay steady.
Rodriguez-Seijas et al. (2020) showed preschool girls already look milder in social affect. The masking story begins before kindergarten, not in grade school.
Why it matters
If you test a girl and her scores land near the cut-off, dig deeper. Ask about masking, check her hidden routines, and note her girl-typical interests. Update your intake forms to include questions about camouflage and favorite topics. A late-found girl can still gain the skills she needs if you spot her now.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
More boys than girls are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder; however, there are conflicting findings about whether they differ in their presentation. This study involved a survey of parents of school-aged children on the autism spectrum (171 parents of girls and 163 parents of boys) that was distributed via social media. The surveys provided insights regarding the characteristics of boys and girls (as perceived by parents) as well as some demographic information. There were very few differences reported regarding communication and social strengths and difficulties of boys and girls with autism. No differences were reported in the number of boys and girls on the autism spectrum with special interests or repetitive behaviours; however, significant differences were found in the types of special interests with boys and girls showing generally interests along traditional gender lines. Qualitative analysis of open comments indicated that some parents of girls on the autism spectrum described their daughter as trying to hide or mask her difficulties more but no parents of boys on the spectrum described this phenomenon.
Autism : the international journal of research and practice, 2017 · doi:10.1177/1362361316668653