Gender Effects on Challenging Behaviors in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Elsevier. 6277 Sea Harbor Drive, Orlando, FL 32887-4800. Tel: 877-839-7126; Tel: 407-345-4020; Fax: 407-363-1354; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: http://www.elsevier.com

Y

7

Behavior Problems; Autism; Gender Differences; Child Behavior; Pervasive Developmental Disorders; Children; Adolescents; Comparative Analysis

10.1016/j.rasd.2011.12.011

1750-9467

Challenging behaviors are extremely prevalent within the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) population. To date, numerous factors affecting the rates of challenging behaviors within the ASD population have been examined including age, gender, ethnicity, and intellectual functioning. Controversy has arisen in regard to the effect of gender on challenging behaviors rates in individuals with ASD with some researchers finding differences while others do not. The aim of the current study was to examine the gender effects of children and adolescents with ASD on challenging behavior rates in an effort to assist in clarifying this relationship. Three hundred ninety-one children ages 2 through 17 years participated in the current study and were assigned to one of four groups: male with ASD, male without ASD, female with ASD, and female without ASD. Differences in rates of challenging behaviors between the groups were examined using the "Autism Spectrum Disorder-Behavior Problems for Children". Overall, gender was not found to have an effect on the rates of challenging behaviors among children and adolescents with or without ASD. The implications of this finding are discussed along with possible future avenues of investigation. (Contains 2 tables.)

As Provided

2012

EJ966849