Adult women with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder: Perspectives on the menarche/menstruation experience
type: CreativeWork
description: Framed in select MWGS feminist theories, this study’s 335 adult women/assigned-female-at-birth responded to the Autism Spectrum Quotient-10 (AQ-10, 2012) and Menstrual Attitude Questionnaire-2nd version (MAQ, 1980a, 1980b). Although without statistical significance (α = .05), 29/335 (8.7%) reported high AQ-10 scores (6+) suggesting further ASD testing. The high 8.7 percentage perhaps is a product of AQ-10’s screening purpose or underreporting/misdiagnosis due to the female ASD phenotype’s camouflaging abilities. Higher AQ-10 (6+) scores had somewhat higher mean MAQ scores for four (Debilitating/Bothersome/Natural/Predictable) and one lower (Denial) MAQ subscales. Exploratory analysis of participants’ disclosure of co-occurring gynecological, medical, and mental health concerns highlighted potential impact of such conditions on women’s health across ethnicity, age at menarche, and age groups. This study sought to expand MWGS’s inclusion of women with disabilities/ASD, empowering all women utilizing a holistic womanist approach. Research on menstruation and autism should replicate this study and devise a female/assigned-female-at-birth-only AQ-10 version.
abstract: Framed in select MWGS feminist theories, this study’s 335 adult women/assigned-female-at-birth responded to the Autism Spectrum Quotient-10 (AQ-10, 2012) and Menstrual Attitude Questionnaire-2nd version (MAQ, 1980a, 1980b). Although without statistical significance (α = .05), 29/335 (8.7%) reported high AQ-10 scores (6+) suggesting further ASD testing. The high 8.7 percentage perhaps is a product of AQ-10’s screening purpose or underreporting/misdiagnosis due to the female ASD phenotype’s camouflaging abilities. Higher AQ-10 (6+) scores had somewhat higher mean MAQ scores for four (Debilitating/Bothersome/Natural/Predictable) and one lower (Denial) MAQ subscales. Exploratory analysis of participants’ disclosure of co-occurring gynecological, medical, and mental health concerns highlighted potential impact of such conditions on women’s health across ethnicity, age at menarche, and age groups. This study sought to expand MWGS’s inclusion of women with disabilities/ASD, empowering all women utilizing a holistic womanist approach. Research on menstruation and autism should replicate this study and devise a female/assigned-female-at-birth-only AQ-10 version.
author: Perlow, Ellen
keywords: Females, Menstrual cycle, Autism spectrum, Adult women with access needs
date published: 12/19/2019
date modified: 2026-07-24T05:05:11Z
provider: Texas Woman's University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Texas Woman's University

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: https://hdl.handle.net/11274/12160