The Autism Society Event and Education Recordings Archive

In this session, a brief overview of the current literature will be presented about what is known about females with ASD, including symptom presentation and developmental trajectories that are relevant for education and intervention. Findings have suggested sex differences in play behavior and communication, restricted behavior and interests, timeline of social difficulties, functions of disruptive behavior, and internalizing and externalizing behaviors (Carter et al., 2007; Hartley & Sikora, 2009; Kirkovski, Enticott & Fitzgerald, 2013; May et al., 2012; Mandy et al., 2012; Varley et al., 2007, Verbalis et al., 2007). Also of interest is the role played by societal expectations for females and the coping skills girls may develop based on early gender socialization. It is also thought by many professionals that females with ASD are being missed, or are undiagnosed as a result of their different symptom presentation and an “identification bias”, in which autism is considered a male disorder (Russell, Steer & Golding, 2010).

In order to best meet the needs of girls and young women with ASD, it is essential for professionals and educators to understand what these sex differences mean for practical issues related to treatment, education, and the unique social, communication, behavioral, and personal wellness experiences of females.

Part 2: Intervention and supports                                                                                                                     

In our program, we have developed a girl’s clinic which has offered specialized clinical services for girls and women for five years (e.g., evaluations, individual therapy, group work, family consultation, community outings), contributing greatly to our understanding of new directions and best practices for working with females with ASD. 

This presentation will provide professionals, educators, and parents with an overview of the unique issues faced by females with ASD. Topics discussed will include:

• Social - Female friendships and girl bullying (e.g., “mother hen” friends, conversation and cooperation, relational aggression)

• Self - Self-esteem and self-confidence (e.g., drop in self-esteem in early adolescence; skill development)
• Mental health – emotions, anxiety, and depression (e.g., emotion regulation, sensory issues, societal expectations, pre-menstrual mood symptoms)
• Growing up -  (e.g., puberty, bras, menstruation management, shaving, abuse prevention skills)

To highlight the above issues, we will share case examples of applications from our “Girls with ASD” program, including video-taped personal experiences of young women with ASD. Strategies to add to a professional’s tool kitwill be discussed as appropriate.

Importantly, there is currently very little information available professionals, educators, or families, about best practices in intervention and education specific to females with ASD, outside of what is known about ASD in general. In this session, we hope to provide families and the professionals who work with their daughters important information and practical strategies for helping females with ASD reach their full potential.

Learning Objectives: