Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40059299›Full record

ArticleEuropean eating disorders review : the journal of the Eating Disorders Association2025

"From That Moment, Everything has Changed": The Experience of Women With Anorexia Nervosa Receiving a Diagnosis of Autism.

Melissa Creese, Sarah Hampton, Janina Brede, Charli Babb, Mair Elliott, Lucy Serpell, Catherine R G Jones, John R E Fox, Alana Loewenberger, Will Mandy

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In one paragraph

Article in European eating disorders review : the journal of the Eating Disorders Association, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 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

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. 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

10 authors.

Melissa CreeseResearch Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK.
Sarah HamptonResearch Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5967-9845
Janina BredeResearch Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK.
Charli BabbSchool of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.
Mair ElliottHaverfordwest, Wales, UK.
Lucy SerpellResearch Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK.
Catherine R G JonesSchool of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.
John R E FoxSchool of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
Alana LoewenbergerResearch Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK.
Will MandyResearch Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3564-5808

Funding

AutisticaNational Institute for Health and Care Excellence
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveAutism and eating disorders (ED) frequently co-occur, particularly in women. Autistic individuals are often undiagnosed when they present to mental health services and many receive their autism diagnosis during or after ED treatment. This study sought to understand the experiences of autistic women with co-occurring anorexia nervosa (AN) receiving an autism diagnosis.

methodSecondary data analysis was conducted on 17 semi-structured interviews with autistic women with AN using reflexive thematic analysis. Participants had a diagnosis of autism, had current or past experience of AN, were female-identifying and aged 18 or above.

resultsParticipants experienced missed opportunities for autism diagnosis along with misdiagnoses and misunderstandings from healthcare professionals. Participants tended to receive their diagnosis at the point of crisis and experienced being passed between autism and ED services. Receiving a diagnosis helped participants make sense of their experiences and take control of their lives but also brought feelings of shock and distress.

conclusionsWhile autism diagnosis is often a positive experience for autistic women with AN, a range of emotions can be experienced. The findings highlight a need for better and earlier identification of autism among women with EDs, alongside appropriate post-diagnosis support and ED treatment that is adapted to autistic individuals' needs.

Indexed as

Anorexia NervosaAutistic DisorderAdolescentAdultFemaleHumansQualitative ResearchYoung Adultadulthoodanorexia nervosaqualitative research

Identifiers

PMID40059299
PMCPMC12171655

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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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.