A Longitudinal Study of Features Associated with Autism Spectrum in Clinic Referred, Gender Diverse Adolescents Accessin
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ORIGINAL PAPER
A Longitudinal Study of Features Associated with Autism Spectrum in Clinic Referred, Gender Diverse Adolescents Accessing Puberty Suppression Treatment Ian Russell1,3 · Beth Pearson2,3 · Una Masic3
© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2020
Abstract Literature has documented inflated rates of features associated with autism spectrum (AS) in clinic referred, gender diverse young people. This study examined scores on the Social Responsiveness Scale, Second Edition (SRS-2) over time in a group of clinic referred, gender diverse adolescents accessing gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues (GnRHa) to supress puberty. Primary caregivers of 95 adolescents presenting to the Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS) completed the SRS-2 prior to receiving endocrine input (mean age: 13.6 ± SEM: 0.11) and after approximately one year of accessing GnRHa (mean age: 14.6 ± SEM: 0.13). No significant differences in SRS-2 scores over time and between birth assigned sex were found. No interactions between time and birth assigned sex were established for SRS-2 subscales or total scores. Keywords Gender diversity · Autism spectrum · Gender identity · Features of autism spectrum · Gender dysphoria · Social responsiveness scale · Co-occurrence Autism spectrum (AS) refers to a group of closely related neurodevelopmental conditions, characterised by impairments in social communication and interaction, repetitive behaviours, and specific interests (APA 2013). In the United Kingdom (UK), prevalence rates of AS during childhood have been estimated at 1% (Baron-Cohen et al. 2009). Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-020-04698-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. * Una Masic Umasic@Tavi‑Port.nhs.uk Ian Russell [email protected] Beth Pearson [email protected] 1
Present Address: Aldrington House, Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, 35 New Church Road, Aldrington Centre, Hove BN3 4AG, East Sussex, UK
2
Present Address: Meridian House, Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust, Bradford Road, Meridian House, Keighley BD21 4AD, West Yorkshire, UK
3
GIDS Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, 120 Belsize Lane, London NW3 5BA, UK
During recent years, the presence of AS diagnoses and or features in children and young people (CYP) accessing specialist paediatric gender services has gained increased attention (Nordahl-Hansen et al. 2019). This is largely due to a rise in international evidence that has identified a significantly higher rate of clinically diagnosed AS in clinic referred, gender diverse CYP, compared to the general population (Shumer et al. 2016; Kaltiala-Heino et al. 2015; Skagerberg et al. 2015; De Vries et al. 2010). The national Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS) is the only child and adolescent specialist gender service in the United Kingdom (UK), commissioned through the National Health Service (NHS). The primary aim
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