The Prevalence of Anorexia with Austim Spectrum Disorder
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The Prevalence and Clinical Implications of Anorexia Nervosa and comorbid Autism Spectrum Disorder
IRAS ID
163238
Contact name
Heather Westwood
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 9 months, 30 days
Research summary
Anorexia Nervosa (AN) is a serious eating disorder with the highest mortality rate of any mental health problem. There is currently no first line recommended treatment for adults with AN and even adolescents do not always respond well to treatment, with high relapse rates and treatment dropout. One of the treatment challenges highlighted in recent years is the presence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in people with AN but it is not yet clear what proportion of individuals with AN also have ASD or whether this proportion is different in adults than in children. There are stark similarities in thinking style between people with AN and those with ASD, with both tending to be very detail-focused, having difficulty with moving back and forth between different tasks and having problems with processing emotion. Two relatively new treatments, Cognitive Remediation Therapy (CRT) and Cognitive Remediation and Emotion Skills Training (CREST) have been developed to target these difficulties in people with AN. Although they have shown promising results, it is not yet known whether people with AN and ASD respond differently to these treatments than people with AN alone, or whether these treatments are suitable for both adolescents and adults with these disorders. This feasibility research aims to establish how many people in both adolescent and adult eating disorder services also have ASD. It then aims to compare the effectiveness of CREST and CRT between individuals with both ASD and AN, and those with a diagnosis of AN alone. This information will then be used in future research to effectively tailor treatments for individuals with both AN and ASD.
REC name
London - Fulham Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/LO/2131
Date of REC Opinion
13 Jan 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion