The associations between autistic traits and disordered eating/drive for muscularity are independent of anxiety and depression in females but not males

John Galvin; Elizabeth H Evans; Catherine V Talbot; Claire Wilson; Gareth Richards

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0276249

The associations between autistic traits and disordered eating/drive for muscularity are independent of anxiety and depression in females but not males

PLoS One. 2022 Oct 17;17(10):e0276249. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0276249. eCollection 2022.

Authors

John Galvin¹, Elizabeth H Evans², Catherine V Talbot³, Claire Wilson⁴, Gareth Richards⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychology, Birmingham City University, Birmingham, United Kingdom.
² Department of Psychology, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom.
³ Department of Psychology, Bournemouth University, Poole, United Kingdom.
⁴ School of Education, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
⁵ Faculty of Medical Sciences, School of Psychology, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom.

Abstract

Previous research has shown a positive correlation between autistic traits and eating disorder symptoms, and this relationship appears to be independent of co-occurring mental health status. The current study followed a pre-registered analysis plan with the aim to investigate a previously unconsidered factor in the relationship between autistic traits and disorders of eating and body image: the drive for muscularity. Participants (N = 1068) completed the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26) and Drive for Muscularity Scale (DMS). Positive correlations between AQ and EAT-26 and AQ and DMS were observed. In females, AQ remained significantly correlated with EAT-26 and DMS when controlling for co-occurring anxiety and depression symptoms, but this was not the case in males. These findings demonstrate the moderating role of sex, and the need to consider autistic traits in individuals diagnosed with, or at a heightened risk for, disorders of eating and body image.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Anxiety
Autistic Disorder* / psychology
Depression
Feeding and Eating Disorders*
Female
Humans
Surveys and Questionnaires

Grants and funding

Funding was provided by the School of Psychology, Newcastle University for participant recruitment on Prolific. The funds were spent from allocated funding for staff projects (Elizabeth H. Evans research account). The funder had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.