Effect of Premenstrual Period on symptoms of Autism

Abstract

It is difficult to deal with challenges that accompany Autism. Additional difficulties faced by females with autism include menarche and the distress of going through a menstrual cycle. The aim of the study was to investigate the aggravation of symptoms of autism during the premenstrual period. 20 participants were taken as a sample from special schools of Vadodara, Gujarat.  The parents of participants were given Indian Scale for Assessment of Autism (ISAA) to trace the increase in symptoms of autism during Premenstrual Period. After the data collection, statistical analysis was done where descriptive statistics and paired sample t-test was computed. The results indicate that females with autism go through severe difficulties during the premenstrual period compared to other days. It was also observed that some symptoms of autism aggravate during the premenstrual period in areas of emotional responsiveness, behavioural patterns, and sensory aspects.