Elevated rates of autism, other neurodevelopmental and psychiatric diagnoses, and autistic traits in transgender and gender-diverse individuals

Varun Warrier (), David M. Greenberg, Elizabeth Weir, Clara Buckingham, Paula Smith, Meng-Chuan Lai, Carrie Allison and Simon Baron-Cohen ()
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Varun Warrier: University of Cambridge
David M. Greenberg: University of Cambridge
Elizabeth Weir: University of Cambridge
Clara Buckingham: University of Cambridge
Paula Smith: University of Cambridge
Meng-Chuan Lai: University of Cambridge
Carrie Allison: University of Cambridge
Simon Baron-Cohen: University of Cambridge

Nature Communications, 2020, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract It is unclear whether transgender and gender-diverse individuals have elevated rates of autism diagnosis or traits related to autism compared to cisgender individuals in large non-clinic-based cohorts. To investigate this, we use five independently recruited cross-sectional datasets consisting of 641,860 individuals who completed information on gender, neurodevelopmental and psychiatric diagnoses including autism, and measures of traits related to autism (self-report measures of autistic traits, empathy, systemizing, and sensory sensitivity). Compared to cisgender individuals, transgender and gender-diverse individuals have, on average, higher rates of autism, other neurodevelopmental and psychiatric diagnoses. For both autistic and non-autistic individuals, transgender and gender-diverse individuals score, on average, higher on self-report measures of autistic traits, systemizing, and sensory sensitivity, and, on average, lower on self-report measures of empathy. The results may have clinical implications for improving access to mental health care and tailoring adequate support for transgender and gender-diverse individuals.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-17794-1

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