What are Particular Behavioral Characteristics of Females?

Females with the full mutation of the fragile X gene have a wide variety of characteristics. Like males, they may show few of the symptoms of fragile X, or they may exhibit many of them.

Many girls and women with fragile X are shy and socially anxious, with some poor social skills.  Some may show some schizotypal behaviors, such as poor eye contact and odd mannerisms, such as hand stereotypies.

Nonverbal learning disabilities may cause some girls and women with fragile X to have problems with social cognition, such that they don't judge social situations well. These are called "executive function" disorders, as the person involved does not always analyze a situation and make a decision well.

Depression is a common characteristic of girls and women who have the full fragile X mutation. Depression among women who are carriers of the fragile X syndrome, who are also mothers of children with fragile X, is higher than that among other mothers of children with disabilities. 

Girls with fragile X may have attention and distractibility problems (ADD), sometimes without hyperactivity. Teachers may not notice their inattention because they are not acting out or demanding attention, unlike those with ADHD.

Gail Harris-Schmidt, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Saint Xavier University
Chicago, Illinois

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