Latent Autism Spectrum Disorder Identification in Females by Eating Disorder Professionals

Abstract

Abstract Importance: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and eating disorders (ED) cooccur at high rates, with ASD impacting the efficacy of ED treatments and outcomes. Females are underdiagnosed with ASD and diagnosed later in life than their male counterparts. Objective: The purpose of this study was to define the incidence of eating disorder professionals identifying ASD in female adolescents and young adults engaged in treatment for an ED. Design: The research design is a cross-sectional retrospective records review. The charts reviewed were from the medical records of forty assigned-at-birth females between the ages of 13-25 who received treatment for an ED at the partial hospitalization program (PHP) level of care between 2020 and 2022. Main Outcomes: Upon entering PHP for an ED, 10% of the study participants had a pre-existing diagnosis of ASD. A total of 27.5% of participants had clinical suspicion of ASD. The number of autism traits that an individual possessed directly correlated with the number of calendar days in treatment. Conclusion: ED professionals in this study identified ASD in 17.5% of adolescent and young adult females who entered PHP treatment for an ED who had not previously been diagnosed with ASD. ED professionals can anticipate that individuals with ASD may be in treatment for a longer duration. Further studies should explore effective treatment measures for those with ASD in treatment for an ED.