Sex-typical Play: Masculinization/Defeminization in Girls with an Autism Spectrum Condition

Abstract

We tested the hypothesis that prenatal masculinization of the brain by androgens increases risk of developing an autism spectrum condition (ASC). Sex-typical play was measured in n = 66 children diagnosed with an ASC and n = 55 typically developing age-matched controls. Consistent with the hypothesis, girls with autism did not show the female-typical play preferences, though this was only seen on non-pretence items. Boys with autism showed a preference for male play on non-pretence items, in keeping with their sex. Girls with autism engaged in more pretend play than boys with autism, suggesting that pretence is relatively more protected in females with autism. We conclude that play preference studies in ASC provide partial support for the fetal androgen theory.

Does Gender Influence Core Deficits in ASD? An Investigation into Social-Communication and Play of Girls and Boys with ASD

“…This finding is inconsistent with results of studies on girls with ASD that utilized parental report data (Knickmeyer et al 2008;McLennan et al 1993) and studies of TD girls (Cherney et al 2003;DiPietro 1981;Jones and Glenn 1991;Liss 1981). The disparity between parent report data and observational data is unexpected and merits further investigation.…”

“…Overall, study findings indicate that girls and boys in our sample were more similar than dissimilar, consistent with recent published results with a smaller sample (N = 20) of girls (Andersson et al 2013). Our results are on a sample double the size of this recent well-matched study and the Knickmeyer et al (2008) study, which examined play through parental report rather than direct observation.…”

“…Similar to the literature on typical girls, a few studies find that girls with ASD also show superior symbolic play skills. Knickmeyer et al (2008) found girls (N = 20) at the age of five had superior pretense play relative to boys with ASD using a play questionnaire. McLennan et al (1993) found that compared to girls (N = 21), parents of boys reported more impairments in social play.…”

Brief Report: Female-To-Male Transsexual People and Autistic Traits

“…There is evidence of similarities between girls with ASC and girls with GID. Girls with GID show more male-typical play and pastimes more associated with the other sex (APA 1994;Zucker 2005) and so do girls with ASC (Knickmeyer et al 2008). Also, female-to-male (FM) transsexuals (referred to as 'transmen') follow a handedness pattern more similar to genetic males (less exclusively right-handed) (Green and Young 2001;Orlebeke et al 1992) and the same has been found among women with ASC (Soper et al 1986).…”

“…A recent study of play by girls with ASC found they show masculinization in choosing toys that do not require pretend play (Knickmeyer et al 2008), and women with ASC report higher rates of tomboyism in childhood (Ingudomnukul et al 2007). Females with ASC may therefore feel that they don't belong in a typical female peer group and in a minority of cases it may even lead to develop Gender Identity Disorder (GID).…”