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A Computer-Based Platform for Aiding Clinicians in Eating Disorder Analysis and Diagnosis
Published on: May 10, 2022
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Neurodivergence, intersectionality, and eating disorders: a lived experience-led narrative review.
Laurence Cobbaert1,2, Anna Rose Millichamp3, Rosiel Elwyn4
1University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia. l.cobbaert@unsw.edu.au.
Journal of Eating Disorders
|November 21, 2024
Summary
Neurodivergent individuals, including those with autism and ADHD, face higher risks for eating disorders due to complex factors. Lived experience research is crucial for improving tailored, neurodiversity-affirming care.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience and Psychiatry
- Eating Disorder Research
- Neurodiversity Studies
Background:
- Autism and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are linked to increased eating disorder (ED) risk.
- Associations exist between giftedness, intellectual disability, OCD, psychosis, Tourette's syndrome, and disordered eating.
- Limited research explores EDs in neurodivergent populations, with a scarcity of lived experience-led studies and transdiagnostic perspectives.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the intersectional factors contributing to elevated ED risk in neurodivergent individuals.
- To provide a lived experience-led, transdiagnostic account of EDs within the neurodivergent context.
- To critically appraise current ED research and care, offering suggestions for neurodiversity-affirming approaches.
Main Methods:
- A narrative review approach synthesizing existing literature.
- Inclusion of lived experience perspectives to inform the review.
- Thematic framework development to identify underlying risk factors for disordered eating.
Main Results:
- Neurodivergent individuals face multifaceted psychosocial, environmental, and biological factors contributing to ED risk.
- Poorer treatment outcomes are observed in neurodivergent populations compared to neurotypical individuals.
- There is a significant gap in research, particularly from lived experience and transdiagnostic viewpoints.
Conclusions:
- Understanding the unique needs of neurodivergent individuals is essential for personalized ED care.
- Neurodiversity-affirming care models are needed to address the heterogeneous experiences and support requirements.
- This review establishes a foundation for future empirical research in this under-explored field.
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