Dataset Information

Sex differences in the first impressions made by girls and boys with autism.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are characterized by social communication challenges and repetitive behaviors that may be quickly detected by experts (Autism Res 10:653-62, 2017; American Psychiatric Association, Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 2013). Recent research suggests that even naïve non-experts judge a variety of human dimensions using narrow windows of experience called "first impressions." Growing recognition of sex differences in a variety of observable behaviors in ASD, combined with research showing that some autistic girls and women may "camouflage" outward symptoms, suggests it may be more difficult for naïve conversation partners to detect ASD symptoms in girls. Here, we explore the first impressions made by boys and girls with ASD and typically developing (TD) peers. METHODS:Ninety-three school-aged children with ASD or TD were matched on IQ; autistic girls and boys were additionally matched on autism symptom severity using the ADOS-2. Participants completed a 5-minute "get-to-know-you" conversation with a new young adult acquaintance. Immediately after the conversation, confederates rated participants on a variety of dimensions. Our primary analysis compared conversation ratings between groups (ASD boys, ASD girls, TD boys, TD girls). RESULTS:Autistic girls were rated more positively than autistic boys by novel conversation partners (better perceived social communication ability), despite comparable autism symptom severity as rated by expert clinicians (equivalent true social communication ability). Boys with ASD were rated more negatively than typical boys and typical girls by novel conversation partners as well as expert clinicians. There was no significant difference in the first impressions made by autistic girls compared to typical girls during conversations with a novel conversation partner, but autistic girls were rated lower than typical girls by expert clinicians. LIMITATIONS:This study cannot speak to the ways in which first impressions may differ for younger children, adults, or individuals who are not verbally fluent; in addition, there were more autistic boys than girls in our sample, making it difficult to detect small effects. CONCLUSIONS:First impressions made during naturalistic conversations with non-expert conversation partners could-in combination with clinical ratings and parent report-shed light on the nature and effects of behavioral differences between girls and boys on the autism spectrum.

SUBMITTER: Cola ML

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7298946 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Sex differences in the first impressions made by girls and boys with autism.

Cola Meredith L ML Plate Samantha S Yankowitz Lisa L Petrulla Victoria V Bateman Leila L Zampella Casey J CJ de Marchena Ashley A Pandey Juhi J Schultz Robert T RT Parish-Morris Julia J

Molecular autism 20200616 1

<h4>Background</h4>Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are characterized by social communication challenges and repetitive behaviors that may be quickly detected by experts (Autism Res 10:653-62, 2017; American Psychiatric Association, Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 2013). Recent research suggests that even naïve non-experts judge a variety of human dimensions using narrow windows of experience called "first impressions." Growing recognition of sex differences ...[more]

PMID: 32546266

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Project description:Phthalates, a class of chemicals found widely in consumer products including plastic toys, food contaminants and food packaging, personal care products, cosmetics, air fresheners, and some medications, have been shown to be anti-androgenic in numerous laboratory and epidemiological studies. In a prior cohort enrolled in 2000-2002, we observed associations between prenatal urinary concentrations of di-ethyl hexyl phthalate (DEHP) and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) metabolites and less male-typed play behavior in preschool age boys. The aim of this study was to examine phthalate exposure in pregnancy in relation to play behavior at age 4 years in a larger cohort of pregnant women enrolled in The Infant Development and the Environment Study (TIDES) between 2010 and 2012 at four study sites (Minneapolis, MN; Rochester, NY; San Francisco, CA; Seattle, WA). Maternal urinary metabolites of DEHP, DiBP, DnBP, BBzP, and DEP were measured during the first (n=498) and third trimester (n=468) and mothers completed the Preschool Activities Inventory (PSAI), a validated maternal questionnaire designed to assess child toy preference and sex-typed play behavior when children were 4-5 years of age. After adjusting for child age, maternal education, race, urine dilution, parental attitudes about opposite sex-typed play behavior, and presence of a same sex older sibling, we observed associations between first trimester (mean 10.7±2.1 weeks gestation) (log10) SpG-adjusted MnBP, MiBP, and MBzP and lower masculine scores in boys (β-coefficient [95% confidence intervals]: MnBP -2.18, [-4.16, -0.20]), MiBP -2.1[-4.3,0.1], and MBzP -2.42 [-4.12, -0.71]). In girls, first trimester maternal urinary MBzP was associated with lower masculine scores (-2.12 [-3.98,-0.25]), while third trimester (mean 32.8±3.0 weeks gestation) maternal urinary MiBP was associated with higher masculine scores (2.69 [0.68,4.70]). Third trimester maternal urinary phthalate levels were not associated with play behavior in boys. These findings in boys are largely consistent with previous studies that report that prenatal phthalate exposure is associated with less masculine play behavior. No associations in girls have been previously reported.

Dataset Information

Sex differences in the first impressions made by girls and boys with autism.

Publications

Sex differences in the first impressions made by girls and boys with autism.

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