2026/07/29 by Fiona Duffy, Saffron Baldoza, Saffron M. Baldoza +15
Psychology · Medicine · Neuroscience · #Eating Disorders and Behaviors #Child Nutrition and Feeding Issues #Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
paper · doi:10.1080/10640266.2026.2709604
Autistic children and young people receiving eating disorder focused family therapy (FT-ED) for anorexia nervosa (AN) are more likely than their non-Autistic peers to require longer and more intensive treatment. Qualitative evidence suggests that Autistic young people and their parents struggle with a perceived inflexible delivery of FT-ED that can be mis-attuned to autistic needs. Clinicians delivering this care report a lack of confidence when adapting FT-ED to this population, and there is limited guidance on how to do this. This paper describes evidence‑informed and coproduced guidelines, developed via a series of workshops with Autistic people with lived experience of an eating disorder, parents and carers, clinicians, researchers, and third‑sector representatives. The intention of these guidelines is to support clinicians in the adaptation of FT-ED for Autistic young people with AN and their families, with the aim of delivering more appropriate and effective care. Young people and their parents or carers may also find these guidelines helpful when advocating for autism-affirming care within FT-ED.