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Autistic Girls but Not Boys Show a Strong Association Between Internalizing Symptoms and Social Motivation.

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Title: Autistic Girls but Not Boys Show a Strong Association Between Internalizing Symptoms and Social Motivation.
Authors: Waite, Meryssa (AUTHOR), Fouladi, Rachel T. (AUTHOR), Iarocci, Grace (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders. Jun2026, Vol. 56 Issue 6, p2296-2310. 15p.
Subjects: Cross-sectional method, Pearson correlation (Statistics), Research funding, T-test (Statistics), Data analysis, Sex distribution, Internalizing behavior, Descriptive statistics, Multivariate analysis, Asperger's syndrome in adolescence, Motivation (Psychology), Social skills, Statistics, Data analysis software, Comparative studies, Confidence intervals, Autism in adolescence, Regression analysis
Abstract: The current study examined the associations between internalizing symptoms, social motivation, and gender among autistic and non-autistic youth. Caregivers of 386 participants age 6 to 14 years completed measures of their child's internalizing symptoms and social motivation. Correlation and hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to compare internalizing symptoms and social motivation across autistic and non-autistic girls and boys. Social motivation was found to be higher among non-autistic participants compared to autistic participants, with no significant gender differences observed in social motivation within groups. Social motivation was found to be a significant predictor of internalizing symptoms. The association between social motivation and internalizing symptoms varied by gender and diagnostic status. Higher internalizing symptom scores were associated with lower social motivation among autistic girls, non-autistic girls, and non-autistic boys, but no association was found among autistic boys. The current study found that the relations between social motivation and anxiety, depression, and somatization symptoms in autistic youth varied by gender. The strong association between internalizing symptoms and social motivation among autistic girls and not autistic boys may be due to the unique social experiences and expectations associated with the intersecting gender and neurodivergent identities of autistic girls. The findings of the current study underscore the value of adopting an intersectionality perspective by considering both the influence of gender and neurodivergent identities together when addressing the social experiences and mental health of autistic youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Data: Autistic Girls but Not Boys Show a Strong Association Between Internalizing Symptoms and Social Motivation.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Waite%2C+Meryssa%22">Waite, Meryssa</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Fouladi%2C+Rachel+T%2E%22">Fouladi, Rachel T.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Iarocci%2C+Grace%22">Iarocci, Grace</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Autism+%26+Developmental+Disorders%22">Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders</searchLink>. Jun2026, Vol. 56 Issue 6, p2296-2310. 15p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cross-sectional+method%22">Cross-sectional method</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pearson+correlation+%28Statistics%29%22">Pearson correlation (Statistics)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research+funding%22">Research funding</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22T-test+%28Statistics%29%22">T-test (Statistics)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Data+analysis%22">Data analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sex+distribution%22">Sex distribution</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Internalizing+behavior%22">Internalizing behavior</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Descriptive+statistics%22">Descriptive statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Multivariate+analysis%22">Multivariate analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Asperger's+syndrome+in+adolescence%22">Asperger's syndrome in adolescence</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Motivation+%28Psychology%29%22">Motivation (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+skills%22">Social skills</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Statistics%22">Statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Data+analysis+software%22">Data analysis software</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Comparative+studies%22">Comparative studies</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Confidence+intervals%22">Confidence intervals</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Autism+in+adolescence%22">Autism in adolescence</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Regression+analysis%22">Regression analysis</searchLink>
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  Data: The current study examined the associations between internalizing symptoms, social motivation, and gender among autistic and non-autistic youth. Caregivers of 386 participants age 6 to 14 years completed measures of their child's internalizing symptoms and social motivation. Correlation and hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to compare internalizing symptoms and social motivation across autistic and non-autistic girls and boys. Social motivation was found to be higher among non-autistic participants compared to autistic participants, with no significant gender differences observed in social motivation within groups. Social motivation was found to be a significant predictor of internalizing symptoms. The association between social motivation and internalizing symptoms varied by gender and diagnostic status. Higher internalizing symptom scores were associated with lower social motivation among autistic girls, non-autistic girls, and non-autistic boys, but no association was found among autistic boys. The current study found that the relations between social motivation and anxiety, depression, and somatization symptoms in autistic youth varied by gender. The strong association between internalizing symptoms and social motivation among autistic girls and not autistic boys may be due to the unique social experiences and expectations associated with the intersecting gender and neurodivergent identities of autistic girls. The findings of the current study underscore the value of adopting an intersectionality perspective by considering both the influence of gender and neurodivergent identities together when addressing the social experiences and mental health of autistic youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=194161934
RecordInfo BibRecord:
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1007/s10803-024-06707-6
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 15
        StartPage: 2296
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Cross-sectional method
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Pearson correlation (Statistics)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Research funding
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: T-test (Statistics)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Data analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sex distribution
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Internalizing behavior
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Descriptive statistics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Multivariate analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Asperger's syndrome in adolescence
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Motivation (Psychology)
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      – SubjectFull: Social skills
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Statistics
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      – SubjectFull: Data analysis software
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      – SubjectFull: Comparative studies
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Confidence intervals
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Autism in adolescence
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Regression analysis
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Autistic Girls but Not Boys Show a Strong Association Between Internalizing Symptoms and Social Motivation.
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            NameFull: Waite, Meryssa
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            NameFull: Fouladi, Rachel T.
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            – D: 01
              M: 06
              Text: Jun2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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