[article]
| Titre : |
Gender differences in childhood play: Quantitative and text-mining analyses of early play experiences and their associations with ASD-related traits |
| Type de document : |
texte imprimé |
| Auteurs : |
Chieko KANAI, Auteur ; Miu YAMASHITA, Auteur |
| Article en page(s) : |
202839 |
| Langues : |
Anglais (eng) |
| Mots-clés : |
Childhood play Gender differences ASD-related traits Empathizing–systemizing Text mining KH Coder |
| Résumé : |
Gender differences in childhood play have long been recognized, yet few studies have examined how these early play tendencies relate to autistic spectrum disorder (ASD)–related traits later in life, particularly from a developmental perspective that links early experiences with adult cognitive characteristics. The present study explored gender differences in play styles and their associations with ASD-related cognitive characteristics using both quantitative and text-mining approaches. Participants were 135 young adults (52 males and 83 females, aged 18–29 years) who completed the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ), Empathy Quotient (EQ), and Systemizing Quotient (SQ), and provided open-ended descriptions of memorable play experiences from early childhood. Quantitative analyses showed that males scored significantly higher on the AQ and SQ, whereas females scored higher on the EQ and reported more frequent engagement in social and cooperative play. Regression analyses further indicated that stronger systemizing tendencies and lower levels of social play were associated with higher ASD-related traits, particularly among males. Text-mining analyses of a subsample (19 males, 23 females) yielded consistent results: males most often recalled competitive and rule-based play (e.g., games, competition, sports), while females described imaginative, cooperative, and socially interactive play (e.g., friends, pretend play, drawing). Together, these findings suggest that gender differences in play reflect underlying empathizing–systemizing cognitive orientations, highlighting the developmental significance of childhood play experiences in relation to ASD-related traits. |
| En ligne : |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.reia.2026.202839 |
| Permalink : |
https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=583 |
in Research in Autism > 132 (April 2026) . - 202839
[article] Gender differences in childhood play: Quantitative and text-mining analyses of early play experiences and their associations with ASD-related traits [texte imprimé] / Chieko KANAI, Auteur ; Miu YAMASHITA, Auteur . - 202839. Langues : Anglais ( eng) in Research in Autism > 132 (April 2026) . - 202839
| Mots-clés : |
Childhood play Gender differences ASD-related traits Empathizing–systemizing Text mining KH Coder |
| Résumé : |
Gender differences in childhood play have long been recognized, yet few studies have examined how these early play tendencies relate to autistic spectrum disorder (ASD)–related traits later in life, particularly from a developmental perspective that links early experiences with adult cognitive characteristics. The present study explored gender differences in play styles and their associations with ASD-related cognitive characteristics using both quantitative and text-mining approaches. Participants were 135 young adults (52 males and 83 females, aged 18–29 years) who completed the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ), Empathy Quotient (EQ), and Systemizing Quotient (SQ), and provided open-ended descriptions of memorable play experiences from early childhood. Quantitative analyses showed that males scored significantly higher on the AQ and SQ, whereas females scored higher on the EQ and reported more frequent engagement in social and cooperative play. Regression analyses further indicated that stronger systemizing tendencies and lower levels of social play were associated with higher ASD-related traits, particularly among males. Text-mining analyses of a subsample (19 males, 23 females) yielded consistent results: males most often recalled competitive and rule-based play (e.g., games, competition, sports), while females described imaginative, cooperative, and socially interactive play (e.g., friends, pretend play, drawing). Together, these findings suggest that gender differences in play reflect underlying empathizing–systemizing cognitive orientations, highlighting the developmental significance of childhood play experiences in relation to ASD-related traits. |
| En ligne : |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.reia.2026.202839 |
| Permalink : |
https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=583 |
|  |
Gender differences in childhood play: Quantitative and text-mining analyses of early play experiences and their associations with ASD-related traits in Research in Autism, 132 (April 2026)
