title: Sex Differences in Diagnosis and Clinical Phenotypes of Chinese Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
abstract: The aim of this study was to explore the differences between boys and girls in the diagnosis and clinical phenotypes of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in China's mainland. Children diagnosed with ASD (n = 1064, 228 females) were retrospectively included in the analysis. All children were assessed using the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) and Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS). The results showed that girls scored significantly higher in ADI-R socio-emotional reciprocity than boys, and also scored lower in ADI-R and ADOS restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRBs). Meanwhile, the proportions of girls who satisfied the diagnostic cut-off scores in the ADI-R RRBs domain were lower than in boys (P < 0.05). Our results indicated that girls with ASD show greater socio-emotional reciprocity than boys. Girls also tended to show fewer RRBs than boys, and the type of RRBs in girls differ from those in boys. The ADI-R was found to be less sensitive in girls, particularly for assessment in the RRBs domain.
authors.affiliation: Child Developmental and Behavioral Center, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China.
authors.forename: Shihuan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Child Developmental and Behavioral Center, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China. denghongzhu@foxmail.com.
authors.forename: Hongzhu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: Child Developmental and Behavioral Center, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China.
authors.forename: Cong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: You
authors.affiliation: Child Developmental and Behavioral Center, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China.
authors.forename: Kaiyun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Child Developmental and Behavioral Center, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China.
authors.forename: Jianying
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Child Developmental and Behavioral Center, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China.
authors.forename: Chun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Child Developmental and Behavioral Center, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China.
authors.forename: Chaoqun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ceng
authors.affiliation: Child Developmental and Behavioral Center, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China.
authors.forename: Yuanyuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.affiliation: Child Developmental and Behavioral Center, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China. zouxb@163.net.
authors.forename: Xiaobing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zou
mesh_terms: D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China; D003142:Communication; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D010641:Phenotype; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013239:Stereotyped Behavior / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Autism spectrum disorder; Diagnosis; Sex differences