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Background: Despite increasing evidence to support an overlap between autism and anorexia nervosa (AN), underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Social and sensory factors have emerged as promising targets in both autism and AN, however there remains scope to compare these differences across Autistic and non-Autistic experiences of AN. Drawing on dyadic multi-perspectives, this study explored experiences of social and sensory differences in Autistic and non-Autistic adults and their parents and/or carers. Methods: Using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), dyadic interviews were conducted with 14 dyads, with seven Autistic dyads and seven non-Autistic dyads. Data analysis was subjected to a triangulation of interpretations: (1) the participants themselves; (2) a neurotypical researcher; (3) and an Autistic researcher with lived/living experience of AN.Results: IPA identified three themes in each group, with similarities and differences between Autistic and non-Autistic dyads. Similar themes were identified regarding the importance of social connectedness and socio-emotional difficulties, as well a common lack of trust in the social and sensory self and body. Autism-specific themes centred on feelings of social ‘defectiveness’, disparities between sensing and expressing certain cues, and lifelong, multi-sensory processing differences. Non-autistic themes reflected social comparisons and inadequacy, and sensitivities to the learning of ideals and behaviour through early experiences. Conclusions: While similarities were observed across both groups, there appeared to be notable differences in the perceived role and influence of social and sensory differences. These findings may have important implications on the delivery and modification of eating disorder interventions. Specifically, they suggest that while treatment targets may look similar, subtle differences in underlying mechanisms and approaches may be required for Autistic individuals with AN across sensory, emotion and communication-based interventions.

Previous research has shown positive associations between SCRD and eating disorders, however, the direction of association is still unclear. Research focusing on clinical eating disorder populations can only provide limited insights into the causal relationship between both health concerns, as retrospective assessments are impacted by recollection bias regarding which problem presented first. Therefore, the present review will focus on a general population sample. Overall, this review aims to provide a comprehensive and systematic review of existing research within this field, to gain a better understanding of relevant study findings, their quality, and scope. Additionally, the present review will aim to investigate the causal relationship between disordered sleep and disordered eating in the general population by including longitudinal research designs.

Eating Disorders (ED) and Sleep and Circadian Rhythm Disturbances (SCRD) can be linked through a variety of physiological and psychological mechanisms, including altered hormone levels, disturbed mood, and overall decreased quality of life (Allison, Spaeth & Hopkins, 2016). It is thus not surprising that previous research has clearly established concurrent associations between ED symptomatology and SCRD within clinical ED populations (Cinosi et al., 2011; Linnaranta et al., 2020). However, both the directionality of associations as well as sub-type specific associations between EDs and sleep require further investigation. For instance, while Kim and colleagues (2010) identified sleep problems primarily in patients with binge eating/purging-subtype EDs, other research found SCRD to be particularly pronounced in patients with AN due to increased malnutrition (cf. Allison, Spaeth & Hopkins, 2016). Likewise, medical research has specifically highlighted maladaptive sleep outcomes from sustained fasting periods, such as longer waking times and altered sleep quality (cf. Lauer & Krieg, 2004). Regarding the directionality of association, longitudinal research has found positive associations between ED diagnoses and subsequent sleep problems in young adults, even after accounting for symptoms of depression (Nagata et al., 2021). Interestingly, preliminary evidence further suggests beneficial outcomes of bright light therapy for eating disorder symptoms in clinical populations, potentially due to the re-alignment of individuals’ circadian phasing (Beauchamp & Lundgren, 2016). Yet, currently, a majority of research in this field draws on cross-sectional methodologies, which are limited to the identification of concurrent positive associations between indicators of SCRD and ED symptoms (e.g., Aspen et al., 2014; Tromp, 2016). Considering that a bidirectional relationship between ED symptoms and sleep is possible, if not likely (e.g., Linnaranta et al., 2020), there appears to be a clear need for further longitudinal investigations. More rigorous research approaches to examine the relationship between SCRD and disordered eating might also shed further light on potential confounding factors that might affect this relationship. Even though, physiologically, the pathogenesis of sleep disorders and EDs can be linked through neurobiological processes (e.g., Cinosi et al., 2011), both the onset of disordered eating and sleep problems are likely to be affected by other influencing factors. For example, as indicated by a large scale US-American cohort study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Grandner et al., 2015), a variety of sociodemographic variables function as predictors of perceived insufficient sleep. These include, amongst others, younger age, being female, being multiracial or White, and living in a larger household (ibid.). Equally, disordered eating behaviours have been found to be associated with individuals’ gender, ethnicity, and age (e.g., Jacobi et al., 2004). To improve our understanding of the relationship and causality between disordered eating and SCRD, the current research project focuses on UK adolescents who participated in the Millennium Cohort Study (MCS) and provided information on their eating and sleeping behaviours at age 14 and 17. Focusing on an adolescent study sample will provide unique opportunities to investigate the potential onset of relevant problems, considering that adolescence is associated with a heightened vulnerability for both EDs and sleep problems (Cooper et al., 2020).

The practice of tracking one’s food intake and physical activity through the use of a wearable device or a smartphone application has become increasingly popular. There are concerns use of this technology may be associated with disordered eating behaviours. Particularly for vulnerable groups such as young adults and individuals with a pre-existing eating psychopathology. This study aims to systematically review the current literature investigating this association. This review aims to investigate the following research questions: 1. Is there an association between the use of fitness and diet tracking technology and disordered eating? 2. Are there vulnerable groups who are at a greater risk of negative outcomes of this technology use? Studies will be included in the review if they meet set eligibility criteria. Studies must (1) include a measure of fitness and/or diet tracking used in the context of self-monitoring; (2) include a measure of disordered eating symptomatology; (3) contain quantitative research, and (4) be written in English. The following electronic databases will be searched: PsycInfo, MEDLINE/PubMed, CINAHL Plus (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature), Scopus, EMBASE, ASSIA (Applied Social Science Index and Abstracts), Cochrane Library, Sociological Abstracts and ERIC, ProQuest Dissertation and Theses Global, Sports Medicine & Educational Health, and SportDiscus. Quality of the studies will be assessed using the NIH Quality Assessment Tool. Preliminary searches were run with databases being examined from January 2005 (this is when fitness and diet tracking technology came into use) to September 2021 as part of a Masters project. The searches will now be updated and run from January 2005 to the current date (February 2023) to ensure continuity.

Victimization by peers and siblings is associated with poorer mental health outcomes in adolescence. What is less clear is whether mental health outcomes improve if victimization experiences cease (e.g., being victimized in primary school but not secondary school). This study aims to explore how changes in victimization experiences are associated with changes in mental health outcomes in early adolescence. Data are from 13,912 participants in the Millennium Cohort Study (MCS), a nationally representative cohort of individuals born in the UK. Self-reported victimization by peers and siblings, as well as mental health outcomes (depressive symptoms, life satisfaction, self-esteem, and body image), were collected at age 11 and age 14. Victimization at either time point was associated with poorer mental health across the range of outcomes, with effects largest for those who were consistently victimized. Those who reported increasing victimization had greater deterioration in their mental health compared with their peers who were never victimized. Conversely, children whose victimization decreased showed similar mental health development over this period as those who were never victimized. There was a cumulative effect of victimization by peers and siblings, with effect sizes generally larger for experiences with peers. Victimization in adolescence is associated with enduring reductions in mental health. Nonetheless, the promising outcomes associated with reductions in victimization suggest the potential for bullying interventions in schools to limit the deterioration in mental health in victimized groups.

Overall, this study’s goal is to better understand how health-related coping behaviours relate to disordered eating behaviours and cognitions in the face of stressful life events. An exceptionally stressful event (and simultaneously major health threat) the world has been exposed to throughout the last two years is the coronavirus pandemic that led governments around the world to introduce a variety of public safety measures. The present study endeavours to shed further light on intraindividual and interindividual changes of disordered eating behaviours throughout different phases of the COVID-19 pandemic and explores how changes in health-related coping strategies relate to disordered eating during this time of heightened health-consciousness and social restrictions.

Evidence based medicine is dependent on the underpinning quality of clinical research trials. Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) is considered an evidence based psychological therapy for a range of populations and mental health difficulties. However it is important to continuously review the quality of this evidence base and promote best research practice within the field. In recent years the ‘replication crisis’ within psychology has highlighted the potential for methodological biases to impact on the reproducibility of findings. This includes the potential for confirmation bias (the tendency to focus on evidence that is in line with our expectations and insight bias (the tendency to see an event as predictable only after the event). These sources of bias can be reduced by pre-registration of trial methodology. This purpose of this observational study using existing data from international clinical registries, is to investigate the pre-registration of Interpersonal Psychotherapy trials over the past 20 years, specifically if IPT trials have been registered pre-data collection; reporting bias (the non-publication of study findings both within clinical registries and peer reviewed publications) and the premature cessation of IPT trials and factors associated with this. The paper will also explore replication, specifically whether trials have been replicated and the associated use of open science practice, which may facilitate this e.g. access to raw data sets or analytic scripts.

The primary outcome of the review is to explore the experience of body image concerns in adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors.