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Cola ML, Plate S, Yankowitz L, Petrulla V, Bateman L, Zampella CJ, de Marchena A, Pandey J, Schultz RT, Parish-Morris J. Sex differences in the first impressions made by girls and boys with autism. Mol Autism 2020; 11:49. [PMID: 32546266 PMCID: PMC7298946 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-020-00336-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meredith L. Cola
- Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Center for Autism Research, 2716 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
| | - Samantha Plate
- Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Center for Autism Research, 2716 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
| | - Lisa Yankowitz
- Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Center for Autism Research, 2716 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, 3720 Walnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
| | - Victoria Petrulla
- Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Center for Autism Research, 2716 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
| | - Leila Bateman
- Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Center for Autism Research, 2716 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
| | - Casey J. Zampella
- Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Center for Autism Research, 2716 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
| | - Ashley de Marchena
- Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Center for Autism Research, 2716 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
- Department of Psychology, University of the Sciences, 600 S 43rd St, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
| | - Juhi Pandey
- Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Center for Autism Research, 2716 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
| | - Robert T. Schultz
- Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Center for Autism Research, 2716 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
| | - Julia Parish-Morris
- Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Center for Autism Research, 2716 South St, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
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