Gender and Medication-Related Patterns of Sensory Reactivity, Repetitive Behaviors, Severity and Motor Coordination...

This study investigated the interrelationships among sensory reactivity, repetitive behaviors, motor balance, and autism symptom severity in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The moderating roles of gender and pharmacological treatment were also examined.

A sample of 125 children with ASD (mean age = 8.7 ± 2.9 years; 52% male) was assessed using the Parent-Rated Sensory Reactivity Scale (ESRS), Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised (RBS-R), Pediatric Balance Scale (PBS), and Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS). Statistical analyses included group comparisons (t-tests, Mann-Whitney U, ANOVA/Kruskal-Wallis), correlations, and multiple regression models.

Girls showed greater sensory reactivity and slightly better motor balance, whereas boys demonstrated more compulsive, restricted, and ritualistic behaviors. Children receiving medication tended to have higher sensory reactivity, lower balance performance, and greater autism severity compared to unmedicated peers. ADHD medications predicted elevated sensory and compulsive behaviors, while antipsychotics were associated with greater ritualistic patterns Regression analyses indicated that gender, medication use, and medication category together explained approximately 17% of the variance in autism severity. Correlation analyses suggested associations among sensory, behavioral, motor, and severity domains.

Findings suggest gender-specific symptom clustering and context-dependent effects of pharmacological treatment in ASD. Sensory, behavioral, motor, and severity domains are interdependent, underscoring the need for individualized, multimodal interventions that target sensory sensitivities, behavioral rigidity, and motor coordination to enhance adaptive functioning and overall quality of life in children with ASD through integrated approaches of life in children with ASD.