The Association Between Autistic Traits and Disordered Eating is Moderated by Sex/Gender and Independent of Anxiety and Depression

Alana Barnett,Derina Alexander,Mohini Choudhary,Gareth Richards,Elizabeth Evans,Katie Edwards,Rebecca Harper

doi:10.1007/s10803-020-04669-z

Alana Barnett, Derina Alexander + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-020-04669-z

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Abstract

Previous studies have reported positive correlations between autistic traits and disordered eating, though it is unclear whether the association is moderated by sex/gender or whether it is independent of anxiety or depression. We present the findings of an online survey of 691 participants who completed the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26). Following a pre-registered analysis plan, we observed positive correlations between AQ and EAT-26 in males and females, with the association being significantly stronger in females. AQ also remained a significant predictor of EAT-26 when anxiety and depression were controlled for statistically. These findings may be relevant when considering therapeutic interventions in disordered eating populations that exhibit autistic traits.

Highlights

Autism spectrum conditions are characterised by difficulties in social communication, restricted and repetitive behaviours, and sensory hyper- or hypo-sensitivities (American Psychiatric Association 2013)
Males typically report higher levels of autistic traits compared to females (Ruzich et al 2015), and positive correlations are observed between autistic traits and symptoms of anxiety and depression (Kanne et al 2009; Rosbrook and Whittingham 2010)
Given that there are widely reported sex/gender differences in the prevalence of autism and eating disorder diagnoses, it is noteworthy that only one study (Solmi et al 2020) has so far examined associations between autistic traits and disordered eating in males and females separately. It remains unclear whether associations between autistic traits and disordered eating are independent of anxiety and depression. To address these gaps in the literature, we present the findings of a pre-registered study that examined the potential moderating influences of sex/gender, anxiety, and depression, on the association between autistic traits (AQ) and disordered eating behaviour (EAT-26)

Summary

Introduction

Autism spectrum conditions are characterised by difficulties in social communication, restricted and repetitive behaviours, and sensory hyper- or hypo-sensitivities (American Psychiatric Association 2013). The exact nature of the association between autistic traits and depressive/anxious symptomatology remains unclear, as, autistic people are known to report higher rates of depression and anxiety compared to neurotypical people (e.g. Griffiths et al 2019), people with depression (Domes et al 2016) and anxiety (Hoekstra et al 2008) report higher levels of autistic traits than neurotypical controls.

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