Woman with autism spectrum condition. An outline of the characteristics

Abstract

Available tools for diagnosing autism are not sensitive to gender differences and their construction is based on a male-centered conceptualization of autism, which in practice boils down to finding male traits in the behavior of people with autism. This diagnostic tendency resulted in more frequent recognition of autism in men. Recent studies indicate that the likelihood of autism among girls and women is higher than previously assumed. This article is a review of the literature describing the specifics of female autism, focusing on those features of their functioning that significantly differentiate between female and male autism. The text emphasizes the importance of diagnosis for better functioning of women and improvement of their quality of life.