Links Between Autistic Traits, Feelings of Gender Dysphoria, and Mentalising Ability: Replication and Extension of Previous Findings from the General Population.
Aimilia Kallitsounaki, David M Williams, Sophie E Lind
PMID 32740851WHAT IT FOUND
In 126 adults, more self-reported autistic traits linked to more gender dysphoric feelings and recalled cross-gender behaviour.
Mentalising ability explained most of this link. Poorer mentalising was associated with more gender dysphoric feelings. This supports a cognitive mechanism for gender nonconformity in autism.
Key findings
01Self-reported autistic traits were significantly associated with current gender dysphoric feelings and recalled cross-gender behaviour in childhood.
02Mentalising ability mediated the relationship between autistic traits and current gender dysphoric feelings, accounting for most of the association.
03Poorer mentalising ability was significantly associated with more current gender dysphoric feelings.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they found
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What it does not show
The study used self-report measures for gender dysphoria and autistic traits, which may be subject to bias. The sample was predominantly female (97/126) and included university students, limiting generalisability to clinical populations or diverse demographic groups. The study design is cross-sectional and correlational, so it cannot establish causality between mentalising deficits and gender dysphoria. The replication included two participants with a formal ASD diagnosis, but the study focused on autistic traits in the general population rather than diagnosed ASD.
Declared interests
The study was funded by a University of Kent PhD scholarship. No other conflicts of interest were declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret this study as evidence that mentalising deficits cause gender dysphoria or that therapy targeting mentalising will reduce gender dysphoric feelings. The findings are correlational and based on a general population sample, not clinical patients. The mediation analysis shows an association, not a proven causal pathway.