Autistic traits mediate reductions in social attention in adults with anorexia nervosa

Jess Kerr-Gaffney; Luke Mason; Emily Jones; Hannah Hayward; Amy Harrison; Declan Murphy; Kate Tchanturia

Autistic traits mediate reductions in social attention in adults with anorexia nervosa

Jess Kerr-Gaffney, Luke Mason, Emily Jones, Hannah Hayward, Amy Harrison, Declan Murphy, Kate Tchanturia

Birkbeck, University of London

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is associated with difficulties in social and emotional functioning. A significant proportion of individuals with AN show autistic traits, which may influence social attention. This study examined attention to faces and facial features in AN, recovered AN (REC), and healthy controls, as well as relationships with comorbid psychopathology. One hundred and forty-eight participants’ eye movements were tracked while watching a naturalistic social scene. Anxiety, depression, alexithymia, and autistic traits were assessed via self-report questionnaires. Participants with AN spent significantly less time looking at faces compared to REC and controls; patterns of attention to individual facial features did not differ across groups. Autistic traits mediated the relationship between group and time spent looking at faces.

Original language	English
Journal	Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
Publication status	Accepted/In press - 25 Aug 2020

Keywords

Anorexia nervosa
Autism Spectrum Disorder
SOCIAL ATTENTION
Mediator

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title = "Autistic traits mediate reductions in social attention in adults with anorexia nervosa",

abstract = "Anorexia nervosa (AN) is associated with difficulties in social and emotional functioning. A significant proportion of individuals with AN show autistic traits, which may influence social attention. This study examined attention to faces and facial features in AN, recovered AN (REC), and healthy controls, as well as relationships with comorbid psychopathology. One hundred and forty-eight participants{\textquoteright} eye movements were tracked while watching a naturalistic social scene. Anxiety, depression, alexithymia, and autistic traits were assessed via self-report questionnaires. Participants with AN spent significantly less time looking at faces compared to REC and controls; patterns of attention to individual facial features did not differ across groups. Autistic traits mediated the relationship between group and time spent looking at faces. ",

keywords = "Anorexia nervosa, Autism Spectrum Disorder, SOCIAL ATTENTION, Mediator",

author = "Jess Kerr-Gaffney and Luke Mason and Emily Jones and Hannah Hayward and Amy Harrison and Declan Murphy and Kate Tchanturia",

year = "2020",

month = aug,

day = "25",

language = "English",

journal = "Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders",

issn = "0162-3257",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Autistic traits mediate reductions in social attention in adults with anorexia nervosa

AU - Kerr-Gaffney, Jess

AU - Mason, Luke

AU - Jones, Emily

AU - Hayward, Hannah

AU - Harrison, Amy

AU - Murphy, Declan

AU - Tchanturia, Kate

PY - 2020/8/25

Y1 - 2020/8/25

N2 - Anorexia nervosa (AN) is associated with difficulties in social and emotional functioning. A significant proportion of individuals with AN show autistic traits, which may influence social attention. This study examined attention to faces and facial features in AN, recovered AN (REC), and healthy controls, as well as relationships with comorbid psychopathology. One hundred and forty-eight participants’ eye movements were tracked while watching a naturalistic social scene. Anxiety, depression, alexithymia, and autistic traits were assessed via self-report questionnaires. Participants with AN spent significantly less time looking at faces compared to REC and controls; patterns of attention to individual facial features did not differ across groups. Autistic traits mediated the relationship between group and time spent looking at faces.

AB - Anorexia nervosa (AN) is associated with difficulties in social and emotional functioning. A significant proportion of individuals with AN show autistic traits, which may influence social attention. This study examined attention to faces and facial features in AN, recovered AN (REC), and healthy controls, as well as relationships with comorbid psychopathology. One hundred and forty-eight participants’ eye movements were tracked while watching a naturalistic social scene. Anxiety, depression, alexithymia, and autistic traits were assessed via self-report questionnaires. Participants with AN spent significantly less time looking at faces compared to REC and controls; patterns of attention to individual facial features did not differ across groups. Autistic traits mediated the relationship between group and time spent looking at faces.

KW - Anorexia nervosa

KW - Autism Spectrum Disorder

KW - SOCIAL ATTENTION

KW - Mediator

M3 - Article

SN - 0162-3257

JO - Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders

JF - Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders

ER -

Autistic traits mediate reductions in social attention in adults with anorexia nervosa

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Keywords

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