Exploring the links between sensory sensitivity, autistic traits and autism-related eating behaviours in a sample of adult women with eating disorders
Abstract This study examined the presence of autistic traits in a sample of adult women diagnosed with different Eating Disorders (ED), and explored the concurrent role of autistic traits and sensory sensitivity in influencing both their eating disorder symptomatology and their autism-related eating...
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| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2024-11-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-74984-3 |
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| author | Gianmarco Ingrosso Veronica Nisticò Francesco Lombardi Benedetta Morlacchi Anna Chiara Cigognini Margherita Oresti Raffaella Faggioli Anna Mottaran Carolina Alberta Redaelli Martina Tramontano Laura Ranzini Simona Anselmetti Sara Bertelli Orsola Gambini Benedetta Demartini |
| author_facet | Gianmarco Ingrosso Veronica Nisticò Francesco Lombardi Benedetta Morlacchi Anna Chiara Cigognini Margherita Oresti Raffaella Faggioli Anna Mottaran Carolina Alberta Redaelli Martina Tramontano Laura Ranzini Simona Anselmetti Sara Bertelli Orsola Gambini Benedetta Demartini |
| author_sort | Gianmarco Ingrosso |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract This study examined the presence of autistic traits in a sample of adult women diagnosed with different Eating Disorders (ED), and explored the concurrent role of autistic traits and sensory sensitivity in influencing both their eating disorder symptomatology and their autism-related eating behaviours. Seventy-five women with different ED (Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge-Eating Disorder, Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder) completed the Eating Attitude Test (EAT-26), the Autism Quotient (AQ), the Ritvo Autism Asperger Diagnostic Scale-Revised (RAADS-R), the Sensory Perception Quotient - Short Form 35 item (SPQ-SF35) and the Swedish Eating Assessment for Autism Spectrum Disorders (SWEAA). Twelve percent of participants scored above the cut-off on both the AQ and the RAADS-R, while 68% scored above the cut-off on the RAADS-R only. A mediation analysis revealed that the association between sensory sensitivity (SPQ-SFR35) and scores on both the EAT-26 and the SWEAA was significantly mediated by the presence of autistic traits (RAADS-R). These findings, first, confirm the presence of autistic traits in individuals with ED; second, they show that a lower sensory threshold (i.e., a higher sensory sensitivity) is associated with a higher presence of autistic traits which were, in turn, positively associated with dysfunctional eating behaviours typical of ED and ASD. This study ultimately highlights the importance of further research on autistic traits across all diagnostic categories of ED. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-85360e841fc04a6dabe42d069c0fac0c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-85360e841fc04a6dabe42d069c0fac0c2024-11-10T12:20:14ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222024-11-0114111010.1038/s41598-024-74984-3Exploring the links between sensory sensitivity, autistic traits and autism-related eating behaviours in a sample of adult women with eating disordersGianmarco Ingrosso0Veronica Nisticò1Francesco Lombardi2Benedetta Morlacchi3Anna Chiara Cigognini4Margherita Oresti5Raffaella Faggioli6Anna Mottaran7Carolina Alberta Redaelli8Martina Tramontano9Laura Ranzini10Simona Anselmetti11Sara Bertelli12Orsola Gambini13Benedetta Demartini14Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute, Università degli Studi di MilanoDipartimento di Scienze della Salute, Università degli Studi di MilanoDipartimento di Scienze della Salute, Università degli Studi di MilanoDipartimento di Scienze della Salute, Università degli Studi di MilanoDipartimento di Scienze della Salute, Università degli Studi di MilanoDipartimento di Scienze della Salute, Università degli Studi di MilanoDipartimento di Salute Mentale e delle Dipendenze, U.O. Psichiatria 51 e 52, ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo, Presidio San PaoloDipartimento di Salute Mentale e delle Dipendenze, U.O. Psichiatria 51 e 52, ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo, Presidio San PaoloDipartimento di Salute Mentale e delle Dipendenze, U.O. Psichiatria 51 e 52, ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo, Presidio San PaoloDipartimento di Salute Mentale e delle Dipendenze, U.O. Psichiatria 51 e 52, ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo, Presidio San PaoloDipartimento di Salute Mentale e delle Dipendenze, U.O. Psichiatria 51 e 52, ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo, Presidio San PaoloDipartimento di Salute Mentale e delle Dipendenze, U.O. Psichiatria 51 e 52, ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo, Presidio San PaoloDipartimento di Salute Mentale e delle Dipendenze, U.O. Psichiatria 51 e 52, ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo, Presidio San PaoloDipartimento di Scienze della Salute, Università degli Studi di Milano“Aldo Ravelli” Research Centre for Neurotechnology and Experimental Brain Therapeutics, University of MilanAbstract This study examined the presence of autistic traits in a sample of adult women diagnosed with different Eating Disorders (ED), and explored the concurrent role of autistic traits and sensory sensitivity in influencing both their eating disorder symptomatology and their autism-related eating behaviours. Seventy-five women with different ED (Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge-Eating Disorder, Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder) completed the Eating Attitude Test (EAT-26), the Autism Quotient (AQ), the Ritvo Autism Asperger Diagnostic Scale-Revised (RAADS-R), the Sensory Perception Quotient - Short Form 35 item (SPQ-SF35) and the Swedish Eating Assessment for Autism Spectrum Disorders (SWEAA). Twelve percent of participants scored above the cut-off on both the AQ and the RAADS-R, while 68% scored above the cut-off on the RAADS-R only. A mediation analysis revealed that the association between sensory sensitivity (SPQ-SFR35) and scores on both the EAT-26 and the SWEAA was significantly mediated by the presence of autistic traits (RAADS-R). These findings, first, confirm the presence of autistic traits in individuals with ED; second, they show that a lower sensory threshold (i.e., a higher sensory sensitivity) is associated with a higher presence of autistic traits which were, in turn, positively associated with dysfunctional eating behaviours typical of ED and ASD. This study ultimately highlights the importance of further research on autistic traits across all diagnostic categories of ED.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-74984-3Eating disordersAutism-related eating behavioursAutistic traitsSensory sensitivitySWEAA. |
| spellingShingle | Gianmarco Ingrosso Veronica Nisticò Francesco Lombardi Benedetta Morlacchi Anna Chiara Cigognini Margherita Oresti Raffaella Faggioli Anna Mottaran Carolina Alberta Redaelli Martina Tramontano Laura Ranzini Simona Anselmetti Sara Bertelli Orsola Gambini Benedetta Demartini Exploring the links between sensory sensitivity, autistic traits and autism-related eating behaviours in a sample of adult women with eating disorders Scientific Reports Eating disorders Autism-related eating behaviours Autistic traits Sensory sensitivity SWEAA. |
| title | Exploring the links between sensory sensitivity, autistic traits and autism-related eating behaviours in a sample of adult women with eating disorders |
| title_full | Exploring the links between sensory sensitivity, autistic traits and autism-related eating behaviours in a sample of adult women with eating disorders |
| title_fullStr | Exploring the links between sensory sensitivity, autistic traits and autism-related eating behaviours in a sample of adult women with eating disorders |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring the links between sensory sensitivity, autistic traits and autism-related eating behaviours in a sample of adult women with eating disorders |
| title_short | Exploring the links between sensory sensitivity, autistic traits and autism-related eating behaviours in a sample of adult women with eating disorders |
| title_sort | exploring the links between sensory sensitivity autistic traits and autism related eating behaviours in a sample of adult women with eating disorders |
| topic | Eating disorders Autism-related eating behaviours Autistic traits Sensory sensitivity SWEAA. |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-74984-3 |
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