Prenatal Hormones and Postnatal Socialization by Parents as Determinants of Male‐Typical Toy Play in Girls With Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia

Abstract

Toy choices of 3‐ to 10‐year‐old children with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) and of their unaffected siblings were assessed. Also assessed was parental encouragement of sex‐typed toy play. Girls with CAH displayed more male‐typical toy choices than did their unaffected sisters, whereas boys with and without CAH did not differ. Mothers and fathers encouraged sex‐typical toy play in children with and without CAH. However, girls with CAH received more positive feedback for play with girls' toys than did unaffected girls. Data show that increased male‐typical toy play by girls with CAH cannot be explained by parental encouragement of male‐typical toy play. Although parents encourage sex‐appropriate behavior, their encouragement appears to be insufficient to override the interest of girls with CAH in cross‐sexed toys.

Multifaceted origins of sex differences in the brain

“…Hines has discovered a robust sex difference in toy preference between boys and girls and has convincingly demonstrated over many studies that girls prenatally exposed to androgen owing to a genetic anomaly (congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) girls) have a boy-like toy preference [30,31]. In this issue, Hines [32] makes another major leap forward in illuminating how androgens impact the developing human brain with evidence that CAH girls are less sensitive than unaffected girls to extraneous socialization cues about gender-appropriate toychoices.…”

The Early Development of Gender Differences

“…Greater attention to faces has been associated with lower prenatal testosterone concentrations measured in amniotic fluid . Girls with congenital adrenal hyperplasia show a preference for male-typed toys such as trucks (Meyer-Bahlburg et al 2004, Pasterski et al 2005). …”

A diferenciação do cérebro masculino e feminino

“…Nos primeiros anos de vida a construção da sexualidade está vinculada à influência dos pais, cuidadores, professores, colegas de grupo, os quais instigam a criança a assumir o papel e induzem-na às preferências relacionadas a seu gênero 27,28 . A criança começa a entender que é homem ou mulher e esse conhecimento motiva-a a imitar o seu sexo 29,30 .…”

“…Os pais são cruciais para o encorajamento da expressão típica do modo masculino ou feminino de ser. Entretanto, nas meninas sujeitas a ambiente intrauterino hiperandrogênico, o esforço dos pais em fazer com que elas tenham comportamento feminino, principalmente na escolha dos brinquedos é falha 27 , o que indica ser o imprinting hormonal um determinante do gênero. Entretanto, em meninas com identificação de gênero assegurada é importante o reforço dos pais ou cuidadores para a socialização da criança dentro do seu gênero, para que ela assuma o papel típico do seu gênero 31 .…”