Characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Minors With Anorexia Nervosa in Remission

Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel34 enrolled

Overview

With this investigation, researchers wil look for a link between the appearance of anorexia nervosa and autism spectrum disorders in minors. Previous studies made clear already that patients with anorexia nervosa show elevated characteristics of autism spectrum disorder, when being meassured in adults and in patients in the acute fase of their anorexia nervosa. The purpose of this invenstigation is to see if their is also an elevated incidence of characteristics of autism spectrum disorder in minors with anorexia nervosa in remission.

34 patients who are still minors and were previously treated in the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department (PAika) of the University Hospital in Brussels, will be contacted to ask if they would volunteer in this investigation. If the minors and their parents give their permission, they will be asked to fill in multiple questionnaires, measuring the current symptoms of anorexia nervosa, characteristics of autism spectrum disorder and global functioning of the minors. The questionnaires will be send and returned by post.

Study Type

OBSERVATIONAL

Enrollment

Conditions

Anorexia Nervosa Autism Spectrum Disorder

Interventions

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMax age: 18 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Patients speaking Dutch * Previously treated in UZ Brussel for anorexia nervosa * Informed consent signed by children and parent(s) Exclusion Criteria: * Patients and/or parents don't speak Dutch * Adults * No informed consent obtained

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Symptoms of autism spectrum disorder

Symptoms of autism spectrum disorder will be measured by questionnaires, filled in by the minors (by the Autism-spectrum Quotient) and their parents (by the Social Responsiveness Scale-2 and the Social Communication Questionnaire).

Time frame: The measurment will be done once during the period of October 2019 to March 2020.

Secondary Outcomes

Global functioning

Global functioning will be measured by questionnaires, filled in by the minors (by the Youth Self Report) and their parents (by the Child Behavior Checklist).

Time frame: The measurment will be done once during the period of October 2019 to March 2020

Symptoms of anorexia nervosa

Symptoms of anorexia nervosa will be measured by questionnaires, filled in by the minors (by the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire and the Child Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire) and their parents (by the Anorectic Behavior Observation Scale).