Brief report: Gender identity differences in autistic adults: Associations with perceptual and socio-cognitive profiles
Walsh,R.J. Krabbendam,L. Dewinter,J. Begeer,S.
Walsh,R.J.
Krabbendam,L.
Dewinter,J.
Begeer,S.
Abstract
Prior research has shown an elevation in autism traits and diagnoses in individuals seen for gender related consultation and in participants self-identifying as transgender. To investigate this relationship between autism and gender identity from a new angle, we compared the self-reported autism traits and sensory differences between participants with autism who did or did not identify with their assigned sex (i.e. cisgender or trans and non-binary, respectively). We found broad elevation of most cognitive autism traits in the trans and non-binary group (those who identified with a gender other than their assigned gender), and lower visual and auditory hypersensitivity. We contrast these data to existing hypotheses and propose a role for autistic resistance to social conditioning.
Description
Date
2018
Journal Title
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Volume Title
Publisher
Research Projects
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Keywords
Autism, Bayesian cognition, CHILDREN, CONGENITAL ADRENAL-HYPERPLASIA, DYSPHORIA, FUNCTIONING AUTISM, Gender dysphoria, Gender identity, HUMAN BRAIN, MENTAL-HEALTH, PEOPLE, PERVASIVE DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS, Perception, SPECTRUM QUOTIENT AQ, TRAITS, Transgender, SDG 5 - Gender Equality
Citation
Walsh, R J, Krabbendam, L, Dewinter, J & Begeer, S 2018, 'Brief report: Gender identity differences in autistic adults : Associations with perceptual and socio-cognitive profiles', Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, vol. 48, no. 12, pp. 4070–4078. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-018-3702-y