Similarities and differences in theory of mind responses of patients with anorexia nervosa with and without autistic features

Felicity Sedgewick; Jenni Leppanen; Faith Goh; Hannah Hayward; Francesca Happé; Kate Tchanturia

doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00318

Similarities and differences in theory of mind responses of patients with anorexia nervosa with and without autistic features

Felicity Sedgewick, Jenni Leppanen, Faith Goh, Hannah Hayward, Francesca Happé, Kate Tchanturia^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

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

19 Citations (Scopus)

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Abstract

Theory of Mind (ToM) is the ability to understand and represent mental states of others, a skill that plays a key role in how we interact with people around us. Difficulties with ToM have been posited as an underlying mechanism for autism and implicated in difficulties faced by those with anorexia nervosa (AN). This study examined, both quantitatively and qualitatively, the responses of women between the ages of 14 and 25 years on the Frith-Happé Triangle Animations, a well-validated test of ToM. Participants were split into healthy controls (HCs), AN patients (AN), and AN patients with high levels of autistic features (AN+ASF). We found no significant quantitative differences between groups in performance on the task. Qualitatively, there were differences between groups such that AN patients, especially those in the AN+ASF group, were more focused on describing the videos than creating narratives, were more negative in their interpretations, and were much more anxious about their performance. These qualitative differences have clinical implications, including that not all AN patients with autistic features should be assumed to have difficulties with ToM.

Original language	English
Article number	318
Journal	Frontiers in Psychiatry
Volume	10
Issue number	MAY
Early online date	8 May 2019
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00318
Publication status	Published - May 2019

Keywords

Autism spectrum disorders
Eating disorders
Emotional valence
Theory of Mind
Women

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Similarities and differences_SEDGEWICK_FirstonlineMay2019_GOLD VoR (CC BY)Final published version, 918 KBLicence: CC BY

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title = "Similarities and differences in theory of mind responses of patients with anorexia nervosa with and without autistic features",

abstract = "Theory of Mind (ToM) is the ability to understand and represent mental states of others, a skill that plays a key role in how we interact with people around us. Difficulties with ToM have been posited as an underlying mechanism for autism and implicated in difficulties faced by those with anorexia nervosa (AN). This study examined, both quantitatively and qualitatively, the responses of women between the ages of 14 and 25 years on the Frith-Happ{\'e} Triangle Animations, a well-validated test of ToM. Participants were split into healthy controls (HCs), AN patients (AN), and AN patients with high levels of autistic features (AN+ASF). We found no significant quantitative differences between groups in performance on the task. Qualitatively, there were differences between groups such that AN patients, especially those in the AN+ASF group, were more focused on describing the videos than creating narratives, were more negative in their interpretations, and were much more anxious about their performance. These qualitative differences have clinical implications, including that not all AN patients with autistic features should be assumed to have difficulties with ToM.",

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AU - Happé, Francesca

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Similarities and differences in theory of mind responses of patients with anorexia nervosa with and without autistic features

Abstract

Keywords

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