Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41091281›Full record

ArticleEating and weight disorders : EWD2025

Social camouflaging of autistic traits is associated with more severe symptoms among subjects with feeding and eating disorders.

Barbara Carpita, Benedetta Nardi, Stefano Pini, Francesca Parri, Paola Perrone, Cristiana Pronestì, Federico Giovannoni, Gerardo Russomanno, Chiara Bonelli, Gabriele Massimetti and 3 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Eating and weight disorders : EWD, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

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

What it found

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Barbara CarpitaDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Pisa, 67 Via Roma 4, 56126, Pisa, Italy.
Benedetta NardiDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Pisa, 67 Via Roma 4, 56126, Pisa, Italy. benedetta.nardi@live.it.
Stefano PiniDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Pisa, 67 Via Roma 4, 56126, Pisa, Italy.
Francesca ParriDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Pisa, 67 Via Roma 4, 56126, Pisa, Italy.
Paola PerroneDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Pisa, 67 Via Roma 4, 56126, Pisa, Italy.
Cristiana PronestìDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Pisa, 67 Via Roma 4, 56126, Pisa, Italy.
Federico GiovannoniDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Pisa, 67 Via Roma 4, 56126, Pisa, Italy.
Gerardo RussomannoDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Pisa, 67 Via Roma 4, 56126, Pisa, Italy.
Chiara BonelliDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Pisa, 67 Via Roma 4, 56126, Pisa, Italy.
Gabriele MassimettiDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Pisa, 67 Via Roma 4, 56126, Pisa, Italy.
Ivan Mirko CremoneDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Pisa, 67 Via Roma 4, 56126, Pisa, Italy.
Andrea FiorilloDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy.
Liliana Dell'OssoDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Pisa, 67 Via Roma 4, 56126, Pisa, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeGiven the high prevalence of autistic traits among individuals with eating disorders (EDs), this study investigates the relationship between social camouflaging and eating disorder symptoms. It specifically examines how camouflaging behaviors may influence the manifestation and severity of disordered eating.

methodsA total of 70 patients with EDs and 50 healthy controls (HCs) were assessed using the Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (CAT-Q) and the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 (EDI-2). Independent samples t tests were used to compare CAT-Q scores between groups. ANOVA followed by Bonferroni post-hoc tests examined differences across EED subtypes. Pearson correlation analyses assessed associations between CAT-Q and EDI-2 scores. Finally, a linear regression model was used to evaluate whether camouflaging (CAT-Q total score) significantly predicted eating disorder symptom severity (EDI-2 total score).

resultsED patients scored significantly higher than HCs across all CAT-Q domains and on the total score (all p < .001). No significant differences in camouflaging scores were observed among the different ED subtypes. CAT-Q domain and total scores were significantly positively correlated with all EDI-2 domains, with few exceptions. Linear regression analysis indicated that CAT-Q total score was a significant predictor of EDI-2 total score (β = .728, p < .001).

conclusionsOur findings reinforce the notion that social camouflaging, often used as a coping strategy, is associated with the presence and severity of eating disorder symptoms. Overall, the study underscores the complex interplay between autistic traits and disordered eating, highlighting the importance of further research into this connection. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III: Evidence obtained from well-designed cohort or case-control analytic studies.

Indexed as

Autistic DisorderFeeding and Eating DisordersSocial BehaviorAdolescentAdultCase-Control StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedSeverity of Illness IndexSurveys and QuestionnairesYoung AdultAnorexiaAutistic traitsBinge eating disorderBulimiaCamouflagingFeeding and eating disorders

Identifiers

PMID41091281
PMCPMC12528198

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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.