Autism Spectrum Disorder: Understanding the Female Phenotype

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of knowledge on autism in females, in order to help understand and clarify gender implications in the autistic female phenotype. Despite the reported higher risk of developing autism in males than in females, few studies have investigated the gender differences at the clinical and neurobiological level. Possible genetic protective factors, as well as differing neurobiological brain trajectories, could be responsible for the male/female discrepancy in prevalence rates (4:1). Moreover, a different clinical phenotype regarding the onset of symptoms, behavioral features and social motivation often skews diagnosis in women. Specifically, the phenomenon of camouflaging or hiding symptoms in high functioning females, due to behavioral coping strategies, contributes to incorrect or delayed diagnosis.
Product details:
Softcover ISBN
978-3-031-62074-4
Due: 03 September 2025