Brief Report: Sexual Attraction and Relationships in Adolescents with Autism.
Past research suggests more variation in sexual attraction in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) using clinical samples. This study utilised a population representative group of 14/15 year olds from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children. Ninety-four adolescents (73 males, 21 females) with ASD and 3454 (1685 males, 1675 females) without self-reported on sexual attraction and past sexual relationships. Females with ASD reported lower rates of heterosexual preference (adjusted odds ratio: 0.14, p < .001), higher rates of bisexuality (adjusted odds ratio: 6.05, p < .001) and uncertainty in attraction (adjusted odds ratio: 10.44, p < .001) compared with non-ASD females. ASD males reported fewer prior boyfriends/girlfriends. Findings confirm female adolescents with ASD have differences in sexual attraction compared with non-ASD females.
Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia. Tamara.may@unimelb.edu.au.|Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, 50 Flemington Rd, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia. Tamara.may@unimelb.edu.au.
Tamara
T
May
Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia.|Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, 50 Flemington Rd, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia.|The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Australia.|Department of Adolescent Medicine, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Australia.|Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia.
Ken C
KC
Pang
Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia.|Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, 50 Flemington Rd, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia.|Developmental Medicine Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Australia.
Katrina
K
Williams
D000293:Adolescent; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019529:Sexuality
Adolescent health; Autism; Sexual attraction; Sexuality