Empathy, systemizing, and autistic traits in anorexia nervosa: a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
This pilot study examined whether patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) would display an empathizing-systemizing psychometric profile similar to that found in autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and whether people with AN would score highly on a measure of autistic traits.


METHODS
Self-report measures of empathy, systemizing, and autistic traits were administered to 22 female AN patients and 45 female healthy controls (HC).


RESULTS
AN patients and HCs did not differ significantly in their self-reported empathy and systemizing. AN patients scored significantly higher than HCs on the autism-spectrum quotient.


CONCLUSIONS
Replication of these findings is required with larger samples and more sensitive measures.
Hambrook
David
D
Division of Psychological Medicine and Psychiatry, Section of Eating Disorders, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK.
Tchanturia
Kate
K
Schmidt
Ulrike
U
Russell
Tamara
T
Treasure
Janet
J
D000328:Adult; D000856:Anorexia Nervosa / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis*; D035061:Control Groups; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D004328:Drive; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011594:Psychometrics; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires