Language and Aggressive Behaviors in Male and Female Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

Aggressive behaviors are common among youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and correlate with pervasive social-emotional difficulties. Communication skill is an important correlate of disruptive behavior in typical development, and clarification of links between communication and aggression in ASD may inform intervention methods. We investigate child/family factors and communication in relation to aggression among 145 individuals with ASD (65 female; ages 8–17 years). Overall, more severe aggression was associated with younger age, lower family income, and difficulties with communication skills. However, this pattern of results was driven by males, and aggression was unrelated to child or family characteristics for females. Future work should incorporate these predictors in conjunction with broader contextual factors to understand aggressive behavior in females with ASD.