Relationship between Eating Disorder (Anorexia Nervosa) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

OBJECTIVE: Research has shown there is a potential link between Eating Disorders (Anorexia Nervosa) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This quantitative study aimed to evaluate if there was a significant difference between those with AN and those without when assessing for ASD. METHOD: 100 participants aged 18 years and above, including n = 50 who did not have Anorexia and n = 50 who declared themselves to have Anorexia, used a pre-screening and online questionnaire, with a between-subject design and Independent Samples T-Tests in SPSS. RESULTS: The study found a link between AN and ASD, with a higher incidence of ASD among those with AN. However, the study excluded those under 18 and excluded participants over 51, potentially underrepresenting the overall age population. Additionally, no gender distinction was made in the results, focusing on the overall association between AN and ASD. CONCLUSION: Further research is needed to determine if gender differences affect the results and if a greater prevalence of ASD among AN still exists, particularly in younger and older generations, to ensure consistency and validity in the findings.