ERIC Number: EJ1393073
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023-Oct
Pages: 15
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1362-3613
EISSN: EISSN-1461-7005
Available Date: N/A
Intersecting Effects of Sex/Gender and Autism on Structural Language: A Scoping Review
Oates, Morgan; Bean, Allison
Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice, v27 n7 p1876-1890 Oct 2023
Despite emerging awareness of gender diversity in the autistic population, our understanding of autism remains limited to cisgender boys and men. We conducted a scoping review to better understand how structural language skills (i.e. syntax, semantics, narrative) differ across sex/gender within autism, and how gender diversity is incorporated in such research. Five research databases were searched for articles that have autistic participants who were not all male, present quantitative results separated by sex/gender, pertain to structural language, and were published between 2000 and 2021. Twenty-four articles met inclusion criteria. One article demonstrated awareness of gender diversity beyond the binary (i.e. girl, boy). Overall, autistic girls performed better than autistic boys but worse than nonautistic girls. Autistic girls are less likely to share the same quality and magnitude of structural language difficulties as autistic boys, which may contribute to their underdiagnosis. Comparing autistic girls to nonautistic girls is more likely to reveal areas of linguistic difference and potential intervention targets. This research provides further support for developing sex/gender-aware diagnostic and support measures for autism. Broader awareness of gender diversity, as both a concept and a prevalent feature of the autistic population, is essential for researchers to continue learning about sex/gender interactions in autism.
Descriptors: Autism Spectrum Disorders, Gender Differences, Language Skills, Syntax, Semantics, LGBTQ People, Children, Adolescents, Young Adults, Diagnostic Tests, Story Telling
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Information Analyses
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A