Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34193255›Full record

ArticleMolecular autism2021

Autism symptoms in anorexia nervosa: a comparative study with females with autism spectrum disorder.

Jess Kerr-Gaffney, Hannah Hayward, Emily J H Jones, Daniel Halls, Declan Murphy, Kate Tchanturia

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Molecular autism, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 22 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
22citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
4.4field-weighted citation impact, top 5% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

22 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 42 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  5. Sensory processing and eating behaviours in autism: A systematic review.European eating disorders review : the journal of the Eating Disorders Association · 2022
    Pooled it
  6. Article
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  9. Gender Identity Profiles in Autistic and Non-Autistic Cisgender and Gender Diverse Youth, and Their Caregivers.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism Research · 2026
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  18. Social attention in anorexia nervosa and autism spectrum disorder: Role of social motivation.Autism : the international journal of research and practice · 2022
    Article
  19. Comparing executive functions profiles in anorexia nervosa and autism spectrum disorder in adolescence.European eating disorders review : the journal of the Eating Disorders Association · 2022
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  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Jess Kerr-GaffneyDepartment of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, 103 Denmark Hill, London, SE5 8AZ, UK. jess.kerr-gaffney@kcl.ac.uk.ORCID 0000-0001-5834-8307
Hannah HaywardDepartment of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
Emily J H JonesCentre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck, University of London, London, UK.
Daniel HallsDepartment of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, 103 Denmark Hill, London, SE5 8AZ, UK.
Declan MurphyDepartment of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
Kate TchanturiaDepartment of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, 103 Denmark Hill, London, SE5 8AZ, UK.
King's College London · GBBirkbeck, University of London · GBIlia State University · GE

Funding

Medical Research Council MR/R004595/1Medical Research Council MR/S020381/1MRF_ MRF-058-0006-RG-TCHANMRF_ MRF-058-0012-RG-TCHA-C0762
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRecent research suggests a link between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and anorexia nervosa (AN). Individuals with AN show high scores on measures of ASD symptoms, relative to individuals without AN, however, there are currently no studies directly comparing women with AN to women with ASD. The aim of the current study was to examine profiles of ASD symptoms in young women in the acute and recovered stages of AN, women with ASD, and typically developing controls (TD), on both self-report and clinical interview measures.

methodsFour groups of participants aged 12-30 years were included (n = 218): AN, recovered AN (REC), ASD, and TD. Group differences on the Social Responsiveness Scale, 2nd edition (SRS-2), 10-item Autism Quotient (AQ-10), and the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, 2nd edition (ADOS-2) were examined. To explore similarities and differences in specific symptom profiles associated with AN and ASD, individual item endorsement on the ADOS-2 was also examined in AN, REC, and ASD.

resultsAcross measures, women with ASD showed the highest scores, and TDs the lowest. Generally, individuals with AN and REC showed intermediate levels of ASD symptoms, scoring between the other two groups. However, AN and ASD did not differ on restricted interests and repetitive behaviour subscales. The ADOS-2 item 'quality of social response' adequately discriminated between ASD and non-ASD participants. LIMITATIONS: A full diagnostic assessment for ASD was not provided for participants with AN/REC, nor were eating disorders assessed in the ASD group. Therefore, some diagnostic overlap between groups is possible. The cross-sectional design is another limitation.

conclusionsThe results suggest similarities in scores on both self-report and clinical interview measures in AN and ASD. However, individual ADOS-2 item analyses also revealed subtle differences, particularly in reciprocal social interaction. ASD symptoms may be a combination of both state and trait features in AN.

Indexed as

Anorexia NervosaAutism Spectrum DisorderAutistic DisorderAdolescentAdultChildCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansSelf ReportYoung AdultAnorexia nervosaAutism diagnostic observation scheduleAutism spectrum disorderComorbidityDiagnosisScreening

Identifiers

PMID34193255
PMCPMC8247081
OpenAlexW3176490453

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.