Gender Differences in Stress Resistance of Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.6000/2292-2598.2022.10.04.5Keywords:
Stress, gender differences, coping behavior, active spectrum, self-isolationAbstract
Objective: The research provided the empirical study of the gender differences in the experience of stress and coping with it in boys and girls diagnosed with high-functioning autism through qualitative methods. Methods: Observation was the main method used in the study, which was implemented by filling in the observation diary by specialists and parents of adolescents with autistic disorders. The main coping strategies under research were addressing others, avoiding the problem, and working on the problem. Content analysis was used as the main data processing method.
Results: The study found some gender differences in coping with stress between males and females. Besides, it was found that the use of certain forms of coping behavior differs depending on age.
Conclusions: The study allowed us to determine that boys tend to choose a strategy of working on the problem in interpersonal interaction, while girls are disposed to avoid the problem. The opposite picture was observed for the social environment: girls with ASD tend to use a strategy of addressing others, and boys avoid the problem through self-isolation.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary & Trends Report: 2009-2019. [cited: 23 June 2022]: Available from https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/pdf/YRBSDataSummaryTrendsReport2019-508.pdf
Hollocks MJ, Howlin P, Papadopoulos AS, Khondoker M, Simonoff E. Differences in HPA-axis and heart rate responsiveness to psychosocial stress in children with autism spectrum disorders with and without co-morbid anxiety. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2014; 46: 32-45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2014.04.004
Вishop-Fitzpatrick L, Mazefsky CA, Minshew NJ, Eack SM. The relationship between stress and social functioning in adults with autism spectrum disorder and without intellectual disability. Aut Res 2014; 8(2): 154-163. https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.1433
Artemyeva T. Normative Behavior of Adolescents with Intellectual Disabilities: A Qualitative Study. Int J Environment Sci Educ 2016; 11(7): 1551-1558.
Pisula E, Pudło M, Słowińska M, Kawa R, Strząska M, Banasiak A, Wolańczyk T. Behavioral and emotional problems in high-functioning girls and boys with autism spectrum disorders: Parents’ reports and adolescents’ self-reports. Autism 2017; 21(6): 738-748. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361316675119
De Vaan G, Beijers R, Vervloed MPJ, Knoors H, Knoors Verhoeven L. Stress, Affect Regulation and Attachment of People With Sensory and Intellectual Disabilities. Front Educ 2020; 22. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2020.539792
Cvetkovska V, Rosemary CB. Ophn1 regulation of prefrontal inhibition: A mechanism for stress susceptibility in intellectual disability. Neuron.
Makarchuk LO. Gender differences in mastering behavior of adolescents with intellectual disabilities. Thesis for the degree. Kyiv: Institute of Special Pedagogy of the National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine; 2017.
Krahn TM, Fenton A. The Extreme Male Brain Theory of Autism and the Potential Adverse Effects for Boys and Girls with Autism. J Bio Inquir 2012; 9(1): 93-103. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11673-011-9350-y
Sedgewick F, Hill V, Yates R, Pickering L, Pellicano E. (2016). Gender Differences in the Social Motivation and Friendship Experiences of Autistic and Non-autistic Adolescents. J Autism Dev Disord 2016; 46(4): 1297-1306. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-015-2669-1
Mitina OV, Evdokimenko AS. Methods of text analysis: methodological foundations and software implementation. Bullet of SUSU 2010; 40: 29-38.
Frydenberg E, Lewis R. Teaching Coping to adolescents: When and to whom? Americ Educ Res J 2000; 37(3): 727-745. https://doi.org/10.3102/00028312037003727
Kovalev EJ, Steinberg IE. Qualitative methods in field sociological research. Moskov: Logos; 1999.
Mandy W, Chilvers R, Chowdhury U, Salter G, Seigal A, Skuse D. Sex differences in autism spectrum disorder: evidence from a large sample of children and adolescents. J Autism Dev Disord 2012; 42(7): 1304-1313. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-011-1356-0
Cooper R, Colin H, Groden J, Audet K. A. Comparison of the Stress Survey Schedule in Children with Autism and Typically Developing Children: A Brief Report. J Aut Develop Dis 2021; 51: 1375-1384. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-020-04616-y
Backer van Ommeren T, Koot HM, Scheeren AM, Begeer S. Sex differences in the reciprocal behaviour of children with autism. Autism 2017; 21(6): 795-803. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361316669622
Goodwin MS, Groden J, Velicer WF, Diller A. Vali- dating the stress survey schedule for persons with autism and other developmental disabilities. Focus Autism 2007; 22(3): 183-189. https://doi.org/10.1177/10883576070220030501
Larkin P, Jahoda A, MacMahon K, Pert C. Interpersonal sources of conflict in young people with and without mild to moderate intellectual disabilities at transition from adolescence to adulthood. J Appl Res Intellect Disabil 2012; 25(1): 29-38. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-3148.2011.00652.x
Sutherl R, Hodge A. Parent-reported differences between school-aged girls and boys on the autism spectrum. Autism 2017; 21(6): 785-794. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361316668653
Szalavitz M. Autism—It's Different in Girls. Sci Americ 2016. https://doi.org/10.1038/scientificamericanmind0316-48
Zabalia M, Breau LM, Gauché C. Pain coping strategies and cognitive impairment in adolescents: A qualitative study with semi-structured interviews. Douleurs: Eval Diag Trait 2010; 11(40): 165-170. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.douler.2010.04.003
Nikolskaya OS, Baenskaya ER. Children and adolescents with autism. Psychological support. Moscow: Terevinf; 2005.
Manelis NG, Nikitina YuV, Ferroi LM, Komarova OP. Sensory features of children with autism spectrum disorders. Assistance strategies. Methodical manual. Moscow: FRC FSBEI IN MGPPU; 2018.
Solomon M, Miller M, Taylor SL, Hinshaw SP, Carter CS. Autism symptoms and internalizing psychopathology in girls and boys with autism spectrum disorders. J Autism Dev Disord 2012; 42(1): 48-59. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-011-1215-z
Semenova VV. Qualitative methods. Introduction to humanistic sociology: A textbook for university students. Moscow: Dobrosvet; 1998.
Pyrczac F, Bruse R. Wrighting Empirical Research Reports. A Basic Guide for Students of the Social and Behavioral Sciences. Los Angeles: California State University; 2017.
Lundström S, Mårland C, Kuja-Halkola R, Anckarsäter, H, Lichtenstein, P, Gillberg C, Nilsson T. Assessing autism in females: The importance of a sex-specific comparison. Psych Res 2019; 282. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2019.112566
Dean M, Harwood R, Kasari C. The art of camouflage: Gender differences in the social behaviors of girls and boys with autism spectrum disorder. Autism 2017; 21(6): 678-689. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361316671845
Corbett B, Mendoza S, Abdullah M, Wegelin J, Levine S. Bitsika V, Sharpley CF, Mills R. Sex differences in Sensory Features between boys and girls with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Res Aut Spectr Dis 2018; 51: 49-55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2018.04.002
Cortisol circadian rhythms and response to stress in children with autism. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2006; 31(1): 59-68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2005.05.011
Daniela T, Nina BJ, Danica V. Stress Factors in Persons with Intellectual Disabilities in Different Types of Housing. Med Pregl 2020; LXXIII (7-8): 221-228. https://doi.org/10.2298/MPNS2008221T
De Vaan G, Beijers R, Vervloed MPJ, Knoors H, Bloeming-Wolbrink K A, de Weerth C, Verhoeven L. Associations Between Cortisol Stress Levels and Autism Symptoms in People With Sensory and Intellectual Disabilities. Front Educ 2020; 5. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2020.540387
King T, Milner A, Aitken Z. Mental health of adolescents: variations by borderline intellectual functioning and disability. Eu Child Adol Psych 2019; 28(9): 1231-1240. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-019-01278-9
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
