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Table 3 Statements reaching consensus (with a median of six or greater and an interquartile range of one or less) about the needs and recommendations for treatment of autistic women with anorexia nervosa

From: “Work WITH us”: a Delphi study about improving eating disorder treatment for autistic women with anorexia nervosa

Statement

Interquartile range

Autistic women with anorexia might

 

Feel they have to stick rigidly to meal plans given to them by services, which can be distressing when the meal plan can't be kept to

1

Be more likely to have other physical or mental health conditions which need considering during treatment

1

Need more time to complete and switch between tasks

1

Find changes in staff or unfamiliar staff more difficult to work with

0

Might be labelled as being ‘resistant’ due to not benefitting from traditional treatments

1

Autistic women with anorexia might benefit from

 

Being supported to explore their special interests which are separate from food

1

Being treated by teams which have autistic staff members and therapists

0.75

Being treated by staff who are experienced in working with autistic people

0

Support and mentorship from other autistic people

1

Eating disorder treatment for autistic women should

 

Involve support in a broader range of areas compared to non-autistic women with anorexia. Autistic women may benefit from support accessing education and employment, finding suitable accommodation, and finding support with daily tasks

1

Support autistic women to learn how to manage difficulties they might have with their attention, memory and organisational skills

1

Provide autistic women with information about the effects of starvation and refeeding on their bodies and minds

1

Support autistic women to understand what parts of their experiences are related to their autism and what parts are related to their eating disorder

1

Support autistic women with anorexia to develop new routines and rituals to replace unhelpful routines which are related to their eating disorder

1

Support autistic women to manage the demands of social relationships

1

Provide some autistic women with a trauma-informed approach or therapy to manage their past social experiences i.e. experiences of living in a society that can be negative about autism and autistic behaviour

1

Ensure that any specific psychological therapies like CBT are adapted for autistic women with anorexia

0.75

Support autistic women to explore their self-esteem and identity. This might involve exploring their identity as an autistic person

1

Support autistic women to identify what hunger cues feel like in their body

1

Adapt meal plans for autistic women to avoid their sensory sensitivities

0

Support autistic women to learn the best ways to regulate their sensory needs. This might involve using aids like weighted blankets, stim toys or headphones/ear plugs and allowing these to be used during mealtimes

1

Support autistic women to develop coping strategies that can be used in lots of different environments

1

Draw on the individual's strengths to help them recover

0

Include education and support for autistic women's families where possible

1