Girls and Women on the Autism Spectrum
We are in the beginning stages of understanding girls and women on the autism spectrum. Because science is finally beginning to look at the gender gap in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in order to better understand girls and women, researchers, practitioners, and identified women on the spectrum have begun to share information on females with ASD to help better understand this segment of the autism population. Thankfully the research community is recognizing more and more that autistic women and girls are poorly served by the current clinical criteria and typical routes to a diagnosis.
Girls are diagnosed with autism less often and later than boys in part because the condition is still widely viewed as a ‘male’ condition.
The barriers to diagnosis are especially challenging for women and girls. Having a diagnosis makes the difference between accessing healthcare and support, or receiving nothing at all.
Some of the information we have learned about girls and women on the autism spectrum includes:
- Fewer girls than boys may have ASD because it takes more autism risk genes to move girls’ brain development onto the autism spectrum than it does for boys.
- Girls with milder characteristics of ASD are generally diagnosed two years after their male counterparts.
- Girls on the spectrum often show different and less severe communication and social challenges than do their male counterparts.
- Girls tend to obsess over friendships and can develop close and likeminded allies.
- Girls with ASD who are cognitively able often have fewer repetitive behaviors and special interests than boys on the spectrum. Girls’ special interests may go unnoticed because they are often considered more socially acceptable (i.e., dolls, books, people, animals). It is not the type of interest that is significant. It is the intensity of the interest.
- It is not uncommon for autism to go unnoticed in girls and women because other symptoms such as depression, anxiety, self-harm and eating disorders are so prominent that the underlying characteristics of autism do not become the focus of attention.
- Girls have a high need for routine and sameness.
- They are better at masking or camouflaging their social skills challenges, more easily mimicking the social behavior of typically developing girls
- Girls with ASD tend to be more social than boys – with an increased desire to interact with others, more highly developed social imitation skills, and better verbal skills.
- They often observe and try to understand a situation before they make the first step and may mimic or even try to take on all the characteristics of someone they are trying to emulate; in fact, girls may be so successful at “faking it” that they only come to the attention of a clinician when a secondary mood disorder emerges.
- Girls with ASD have better imaginations than their male peers.
- While the frequency of suicide is greater among individuals with ASD than it is for their neurotypical peers, there is more of a risk for girls and women on the spectrum. (Kirby et al., 2019)
Evaluation and Support
The above traits also depend to some extent on the severity, whether you’ve been assessed and diagnosed and/or receive support and intervention, and also whether there is a co-existing condition(s) (for e.g., a personality disorder) present.
If you think you or your child may be on the Autism Spectrum an in-depth evaluation can uncover many hidden features and characteristics that are often missed. Bringing awareness to theses hidden challenges can lead to the support and education needed.
