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Published on: October 3, 2018
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Understanding sex/gender differences in intelligence profiles of children with Autism: A comprehensive WISC
David Giofrè1, Rachele Lievore2, Katie Allen3
1Disfor, University of Genoa, Italy.
Research in Developmental Disabilities
|October 9, 2024
Summary
Gender differences in intelligence among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are minimal. A meta-analysis found no significant differences in overall IQ, verbal comprehension, working memory, or processing speed between boys and girls with ASD.
Area of Science:
- Neurodevelopmental disorders
- Cognitive psychology
- Pediatric neurology
Background:
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) intelligence assessment often involves debates on sex/gender differences.
- Previous research questions whether girls with ASD perform lower on intelligence scales than boys.
- This meta-analysis addresses these questions using data from nine studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify sex/gender differences in intelligence among children with ASD using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC).
- To compare these differences to those observed in typically developing children.
Main Methods:
- Conducted random-effects meta-analyses on WISC indices and subtests.
- Included nine studies with a total of 1105 children (809 boys, 296 girls) with ASD.
- Compared results from children with ASD to typically developing children.
Main Results:
- No significant sex/gender differences were found in full-scale IQ, verbal comprehension, working memory, or processing speed for children with ASD.
- Boys with ASD showed an advantage in the perceptual reasoning index.
- Specific subtest performance varied, with boys excelling in some and girls in others.
Conclusions:
- Sex/gender differences in intelligence within the ASD population mirror those in typically developing populations.
- Cognitive differences are index-specific rather than indicative of general intelligence disparities.
- Findings offer a nuanced understanding of gender-related cognitive variations in ASD.
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