Problems arising on the autistic spectrum are more common in male individuals, leading scholars to attempt to determine whether there is a correlation with testosterone levels to which fetuses were exposed during intrauterine life. The aim of the present study was to investigate, through the digit ratio technique, the possible correlation between testosterone exposure during intrauterine life and the achievement of predetermined objectives during the educational program Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped Children (TEACCH) in a group of subjects with different forms of autism. The results showed a positive correlation of the TEACCH program and 2D:4D ratio. Therefore, we hypothesize that a base screening may be useful to pinpoint the optimal teaching strategies to obtain the best possible performance from each subject.
Keywords: TEACCH program; autism; digit ratio.