Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39056242›Full record

ArticleBJPsych open2024

The clinical characteristics of autistic women with restrictive eating disorders.

Janina Brede, Charli Babb, Catherine R G Jones, Lucy Serpell, Laura Hull, James Adamson, Hannah Baker, John R E Fox, Will Mandy

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BJPsych open, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
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

10 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Review
  4. Iatrogenic Harm, Psychotherapy, and Eating Disorders: An Urgent Call to Action.International journal of mental health nursing · 2026
    Article
  5. Review
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. "From That Moment, Everything has Changed": The Experience of Women With Anorexia Nervosa Receiving a Diagnosis of Autism.European eating disorders review : the journal of the Eating Disorders Association · 2025
    Article
  9. Article
  10. 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

9 authors.

Janina BredeResearch Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7359-9112
Charli BabbSchool of Psychology, Cardiff University, UK.
Catherine R G JonesSchool of Psychology, Cardiff University, UK.
Lucy SerpellResearch Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, UK.
Laura HullCentre for Academic Mental Health, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8289-2158
James AdamsonResearch Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, UK.
Hannah BakerResearch Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, UK.
John R E FoxDoctorate in Clinical Psychology, Primary Care and Mental Health, University of Liverpool, UK.
Will MandyResearch Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3564-5808

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAutistic women are at high risk of developing restrictive eating disorders (REDs), such as anorexia nervosa.

aimsThis study provides an overview of the clinical characteristics of autistic women with REDs to (i) enhance understanding of increased risk, and (ii) support the identification of autistic women in eating disorder services.

methodWe compared self-reported autistic and disordered eating characteristics of: autistic participants with REDs (Autism + REDs;

resultsAutism + REDs participants scored similarly to Autism participants in terms of autistic characteristics and to REDs participants in terms of experiencing traditional disordered eating symptoms. Autism + REDs participants were distinguished from both groups by having more restricted and repetitive behaviours and autism-specific eating behaviours related to sensory processing, flexibility and social differences. HATs + REDs participants showed a similar pattern of scores to Autism + REDs participants, and both also presented with high levels of co-occurring mental health difficulties, particularly social anxiety.

conclusionThe presentation of autistic women with REDs is complex, including both traditional disordered eating symptoms and autism-related needs, as well as high levels of co-occurring mental health difficulties. In eating disorder services, the REDs presentation of autistic women and those with HATs should be formulated with reference to autism-specific eating behaviours and co-occurring difficulties. Treatment adaptations should be offered to accommodate autistic characteristics and related needs.

Indexed as

anorexia nervosaAutistic spectrum disordersfeeding or eating disordersmental health servicesneurodevelopmental disorders

Identifiers

PMID39056242
PMCPMC11698150

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.