TABLE 4.
ASD Symptoms and Adaptive Function by Sex in the Combined ASD and ASD-Inclusive Subgroups
| Characteristic | n | Males (n = 672) | Females (n = 179) | t/χ2 | P Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age at enrollment, mean (SD), y | 851 | 13.36 (9.17) | 13.84 (9.97) | −.612 | .541 |
| Age at diagnosis, mean (SD), y | 574 | 5.67 (5.57) | 6.95 (7.29) | −2.031 | .043 |
| Verbal “Yes” (parent report), n (%) | 658 | 512 (85.2) | 146 (90.1) | 2.616 | .106 |
| ADOS-2, mean (SD) | |||||
| Severity | 683 | 6.70 (2.21) | 6.85 (1.96) | −.699 | .485 |
| Social affect/Communication + Reciprocal social interaction | 767 | 10.84 (4.6) | 10.97 (4.5) | .−.320 | .749 |
| RRB/Stereotyped behaviors and restricted interests | 767 | 3.52 (2.2) | 3.26 (2.2) | 1.353 | .176 |
| ADOS-2 classification, n (%) | 767 | 2.624 | .269 | ||
| Autism | 600 | 470 (77.2) | 130 (82.3) | ||
| Autism spectrum | 113 | 92 (15.0) | 21 (13.3) | ||
| Non-spectrum | 54 | 47 (7.8) | 7 (4.4) | ||
| Expressive language by ADOS-2 item A1, n (%) | 740 | .909 | .823 | ||
| Minimally verbal | 105 | 86 (14.6) | 19 (12.8) | ||
| Single word speech | 86 | 71 (12.0) | 15 (10.1) | ||
| Phrase speech | 103 | 82 (13.9) | 21 (14.1) | ||
| Complex speech | 446 | 352 (59.6) | 94 (63.1) | ||
| SRS-2, mean (SD) | |||||
| Total | 701 | 75.59 (11.01) | 76.89 (10.24) | −1.311 | .190 |
| SCI | 701 | 74.65 (11.14) | 75.77 (10.38) | −1.117 | .264 |
| RRB | 701 | 76.07 (11.39) | 77.79 (11.49) | −1.644 | .101 |
| VABS-II, mean (SD) | |||||
| ABC | 632 | 67.85 (18.84) | 68.09 (18.66) | −.128 | .898 |
| Communication | 656 | 70.41 (21.11) | 70.73 (22.32) | −.159 | .874 |
| Daily living skills | 653 | 73.04 (21.46) | 72.08 (19.70) | .483 | .629 |
| Socialization | 640 | 64.91 (19.46) | 66.70 (18.81) | −.977 | .329 |
| Motor skills | 165 | 80.68 (19.29) | 74.44 (19.15) | 1.647 | .101 |
Abbreviations: ABC, adaptive behavior composite; ADOS-2, Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition; ASD, autism spectrum disorder; RRB, restricted, repetitive behavior; SCI, social communication and interaction; SD, standard deviation; SRS-2, Social Responsiveness Scale, Second Edition; VABS-II, Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Second Edition.