Table 5.
Core clinical features obtained from ASAS.
| Female ASD | Male ASD | p-value | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N | % | N | % | ||
| Social emotional abilities | |||||
| Unawareness of the unwritten rules of social play | 9 | 20.45 | 24 | 53.3 | 0.0032 |
| Avoid social contact | 9 | 20.45 | 14 | 31.11 | 0.5043 |
| Unawareness of social conventions or codes of conduct | 14 | 31.81 | 24 | 53.3 | 0.0847 |
| Lack of empathy | 11 | 25 | 20 | 40.44 | 0.1729 |
| Expecting other people to know own thoughts | 12 | 27.27 | 21 | 45.66 | 0.686 |
| Excessive amount of reassurance | 22 | 50 | 29 | 64.44 | 0.5627 |
| Lack of subtlety in expression of emotion | 17 | 38.6 | 23 | 51.11 | 0.5843 |
| Lack precision in expression of emotion | 14 | 31.8 | 20 | 44.44 | 0.5022 |
| Not interested in competitive sports and activities | 18 | 40.9 | 18 | 40 | 0.7163 |
| Indifferent to peer pressure | 10 | 22.72 | 28 | 62.22 | 0.001 |
| Communication skills | |||||
| Literal interpretation of comments | 18 | 40.9 | 29 | 64.44 | 0.0631 |
| Unusual tone of voice | 11 | 25 | 23 | 51.11 | 0.0436 |
| Less interested in the other part of conversation | 11 | 25 | 27 | 60 | 0.0016 |
| Less eye contact when in a conversation | 11 | 25 | 25 | 55.55 | 0.0081 |
| Over-precise or pedantic speech | 10 | 22.72 | 22 | 48.88 | 0.0701 |
| Problems repairing a conversation | 13 | 29.54 | 28 | 62.22 | 0.0075 |
| Cognitive skills | |||||
| Reading books primarily for information | 7 | 15.9 | 17 | 37.77 | 0.1189 |
| Exceptional long-term memory for events/facts | 23 | 52.27 | 34 | 75.55 | 0.551 |
| Lack of social imaginative play | 10 | 22.72 | 16 | 35.55 | 0.708 |
| Specific interests | |||||
| Fascinated by a particular topic | 16 | 36.36 | 27 | 60 | 0.1612 |
| To be unduly upset by changes in routine | 17 | 38.63 | 26 | 57.77 | 0.2325 |
| To develop routines/rituals | 12 | 27.27 | 24 | 53.33 | 0.0098 |
| Movement skills | |||||
| Poor motor coordination | 10 | 22.72 | 16 | 35.55 | 0.3685 |
| Odd gait when running | 7 | 15.9 | 17 | 37.77 | 0.1189 |
| Other characteristics | |||||
| Unusual fear/distress due to ordinary sound | 12 | 27.27 | 13 | 37 | 0.7046 |
| Unusual fear/distress due to light touch on skin or scalp | 6 | 13.63 | 8 | 17 | 0.1469 |
| Unusual fear/distress due to wear particular items of clothing | 6 | 13.63 | 16 | 35 | 0.0099 |
| Unusual fear/distress due to unexpected noises | 23 | 52.27 | 18 | 40 | 0.419 |
| Unusual fear/distress due to see certain objects | 3 | 6.8 | 9 | 20 | 0.3395 |
| Unusual fear/distress due to noisy, crowded places | 11 | 25 | 22 | 48 | 0.0091 |
| A tendency to flap or rock when excited/distressed | 14 | 31.8 | 19 | 42 | 0.7343 |
| Lack of sensitivity to low level of pain | 9 | 20.4 | 11 | 24 | 0.9637 |
| Late in acquiring speech | 8 | 18.1 | 21 | 46 | 0.3333 |
| Unusual facial grimaces or tics | 14 | 31.8 | 20 | 44 | 0.1763 |
ASAS, Australian scale for asperger's syndrome; ASD, Autism spectrum disorder.