Research Methods at the Intersection of Gender Diversity and Autism: A Scoping Review

Research has increasingly focused on the intersection between gender diversity and autism. Understanding the foci, methods, and rigor of recent studies could help guide and maximize impact in this accelerating research area. We conducted a scoping review of peer-reviewed literature on this topic published between 2018 and 2023. The search generated 1432 records after deduplication. Included studies (N = 84) were of English language, featured original qualitative or quantitative findings, and examined a psychosocial connection between autism and gender spectra variables. Autism prevalence among gender-diverse people was the most-studied sub-topic. Methodological rigor was acceptable overall; however, we identified recurrent threats to generalizability and validity, including inconsistent conceptualization of constructs (e.g. gender dysphoria), weak participant sampling and characterization, and reliance on unvalidated measures. Addressing these limitations and meaningfully engaging with community shareholders will be critical to enhancing the replicability and clinical impact of future research.