ArticleJournal of autism and developmental disorders2026
Gender-Based Differences in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Evidence From an Indian Clinical Cohort.
Article in Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeAutism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments in social communication and repetitive, restricted behaviors or interests. The global male-to-female ratio ranges between 3:1 and 4:1, attributed to factors such as the female protective effect, extreme male brain theory, female autism phenotype, and camouflaging. Understanding gender-based differences is essential to reveal the true burden of ASD within the Indian context.
methodsA cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted on 515 children diagnosed with ASD at a tertiary care center in Bengaluru, India. Participants aged 12 months to 21 years were assessed using standardized measures: WISC-IV, WPPSI-IV, VABS-II (cognitive functioning); ISAA, SRS (ASD severity and comorbidities); and COM DEALL, BSID-III (development). Sociodemographic and clinical variables were analyzed for gender differences after age adjustment.
resultsThe male-to-female ratio was 4:1. Median annual family income was higher among females (₹14,00,000) than males (₹9,50,000). Girls exhibited greater ASD severity on the SRS-II, showing severe difficulties in social communication, autistic mannerisms, and social awareness. A positive family history of developmental disorders was more prevalent in females (11.8%) than males (4.9%; OR 2.57). Asthma was also more common in girls (5.8% vs. 1.8%; OR 3.35).
conclusionAlthough the observed 4:1 ratio aligns with global trends, our findings suggest under-identification of females. Greater symptom severity, higher familial risk, and socioeconomic disparities support the female protective effect and camouflaging hypotheses. Gender-sensitive diagnostic tools are needed to improve detection and understanding of ASD in females.
Indexed as
Identifiers
42579036What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.