24036
Puberty Timing and Sexual Attraction in Autism Using a Nationally Representative Sample
Past research suggests there is more variation in sexual attraction and puberty timing in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) using clinical and community samples, however, population representative data is lacking. Both sexual attraction and puberty timing are associated with sex hormones and may therefore inform on the androgen theory of ASD which proposes that excess androgens may cause ASD.
Objectives:
The present study utilised a population representative sample to explore sexual attraction at 14-15 years of age and indicators of puberty timing using data collected over four time points from ages 8-9 to 14-15 years in adolescents with and without ASD.
Methods:
Secondary analyses were undertaken using data from the Kindergarten (K) cohort from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC) which included 94 adolescents (73 males, 21 females) with parent reported ASD and 3,454 adolescents (1,685 males, 1,675 females) without ASD. Adolescents self-reported on sexual attraction. Timing of androgen and oestrogen driven pubertal events included facial hair growth, growth spurt, breast development, body hair, menstruation, and maternal puberty collected by parent report at ages 8-9, 10-11, 12-13, and child self-report at 14-15, were compared in those with and without ASD adjusting for demographic and child factors.
Results:
Adolescent males with ASD reported lower rates of heterosexual attraction (adjusted odds ratio: 0.384, p=.002), and a trend toward higher rates of not feeling any attraction to others (adjusted odds ratio: 2.79, p=.06) compared to non-ASD males. Females adolescents with ASD also reported lower rates of heterosexual preference (adjusted odds ratio: 0.14, p<.001), higher rates of bisexuality (adjusted odds ratio: 6.05, p<.001) and uncertainty in whom they were attracted to (adjusted odds ratio: 10.44, p<.001) compared with non-ASD females. Oestrogen driven puberty indicators (breast development, growth spurt, menstruation) completed earlier in girls with ASD (100% completed by 10-11 years) according to parent report. There was no difference in the timing of androgen driven puberty indicators in adolescent boys and girls with ASD relative to those without ASD. There was no difference in the age of menarche in mothers of girls (p=.71) and boys (p=.59) with or without ASD.
Conclusions:
The findings confirm in a population ascertained sample that adolescents with ASD have differences in sexual attraction compared with non-ASD peers and that these are present by early adolescence. The increased rate of bisexuality in females with ASD is consistent with the androgen theory of ASD, but the decreased rate of heterosexuality in males with ASD and the similarities in androgen driven puberty timing do not support the androgen theory of ASD.