NVvP

ACHTERGROND

The odds of random co-occurring autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and gender identity disorder (GD) based on prevalence rates would be less than one promille. There is one study using systematic measures that reported an incidence of 7.8% ASD in children and adolescents with GD (de Vries, Noens, Cohen-Kettenis, van Berckelaer-Onnes, & Doreleijers, 2010). Whether more subtle expressions of ASD also occur in youth with GID is of interest.

DOEL

To investigate autistic spectrum disorder symptoms in adolescents with gender dysphoria.

METHODEN

Participants were 227 parents of adolescents who had been referred to the Gender Identity Clinic of the VU University Medical Centre in Amsterdam between 2004 and 2011. Symptoms of ASD were investigated by means of the Children’s Social Behavior Questionnarie (CSBQ (Hartman, Luteijn, Serra, & Minderaa, 2006). The CSBQ consists of 49 items describing a broad range of features that are typically seen in children with ASD. To allow identification of specific symptom patterns of ASD, 6 subscales relating to specific behavior/emotional problems can be differentiated.

RESULTATEN

Mean age of the participants (100 males, 127 females) was 14.6 years of age (SD 2.1). Mean total CSBQ score was 19.8 (SD 15.9). Only the stereotyped behavior score of natal males was significantly higher compared to females (1.6 (SD 2.5) versus 0.7 (SD 1.3, t = 3.5, df 225, p < .005)). Of all adolescents, 19% (n = 44) had a total CSBQ score higher than 33, suspective of an autism spectrum disorder.

CONCLUSIE

Compared to healthy control CSBQ scores (t Hart-Kerkhoffs et al., 2009), gender dysphoric adolescents had higher mean scores on the total CSBQ score as well as on all subscales. This study confirmed the hypothesis that autistic traits are overrepresented in adolescents with gender dysphoria.

LITERATUURVERWIJZING

de Vries, A. L., Noens, I. L., Cohen-Kettenis, P. T., van Berckelaer-Onnes, I. A., & Doreleijers, T. A. (2010). Autism spectrum disorders in gender dysphoric children and adolescents. [Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't]. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 40(8), 930-936. doi: 10.1007/s10803-010-0935-9

Hartman, C. A., Luteijn, E., Serra, M., & Minderaa, R. (2006). Refinement of the Children's Social Behavior Questionnaire (CSBQ): an instrument that describes the diverse problems seen in milder forms of PDD. [Validation Studies]. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 36(3), 325-342. doi: 10.1007/s10803-005-0072-z

t Hart-Kerkhoffs, L. A., Jansen, L. M., Doreleijers, T. A., Vermeiren, R., Minderaa, R. B., & Hartman, C. A. (2009). Autism spectrum disorder symptoms in juvenile suspects of sex offenses. [Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't]. The Journal of clinical psychiatry, 70(2), 266-272.