Core Deficits and Eating Behaviors in Children with Autism: The Role of Executive Function.

This study looked at how autism traits relate to eating difficulties in 184 children with autism. Researchers found that repetitive behaviors strongly predicted both picky eating and overeating patterns. Problems with executive function (like planning and self-control) appeared to be a key link between autism traits and eating difficulties. The findings suggest that helping children improve their executive function skills might be a promising way to address eating challenges in autism.

This cross-sectional study examined relationships between core autism characteristics and eating behaviors in 184 children with autism aged 3-12 years. Using parent-reported questionnaires and path modeling, researchers found that restrictive and repetitive behaviors (RRBs) significantly predicted both food approach and avoidance behaviors. Specifically, stereotyped behaviors predicted both eating patterns, while compulsive behaviors specifically predicted food avoidance. Executive function appeared to mediate these relationships, suggesting that cognitive control difficulties may explain how repetitive behaviors influence eating patterns.

Social impairments showed weaker direct associations with eating but indirectly affected eating behaviors through executive dysfunction, highlighting complex interactions between behavioral, cognitive, and social domains in autism.

Executive function emerges as a promising intervention target for eating difficulties in autism. Clinicians should assess both repetitive behaviors and executive function when evaluating eating problems. Interventions targeting cognitive control skills may improve eating outcomes in children with autism.

Cross-sectional design prevents causal inferences. All measures were parent-reported, introducing potential bias. Sample characteristics beyond age range not specified. Path modeling approach, while sophisticated, still relies on correlational data.

: Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) frequently experience eating-related behavioral difficulties; however, the relationships among these difficulties, core ASD deficits, and executive function remain poorly understood. The present study examined how core ASD characteristics-restrictive and repetitive behaviors (RRBs) and social impairments-relate to eating behaviors, including food approach and avoidance tendencies. In addition, the study explored whether executive function serves as a mediating mechanism underlying these associations.: A total of 184 children aged 3-12 years participated in this cross-sectional study. All variables were measured using parent-reported questionnaires, and data were analyzed through path modeling.

The Social Responsiveness Scale-Second Edition (SRS-2) and the Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised (RBS-R) were employed to assess social impairments and RRBs, respectively. Eating behaviors-comprising food approach and food avoidance dimensions-were evaluated with the Children's Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ), while executive function was measured using the Child Executive Functioning Inventory (CHEXI).: The analysis revealed significant associations between RRBs and both food approach and food avoidance behaviors in children with ASD. Crucially, follow-up regression analyses specifying RRBs subtypes showed that Stereotyped Behavior independently predicted both food approach (β = 0.305,< 0.001) and avoidance (β = 0.217,= 0.002), while Compulsive Behavior specifically predicted food avoidance (β = 0.173,= 0.021). Furthermore, executive function appeared to serve as a potential mediator in these relationships, suggesting that impairments in executive control may partially explain how repetitive behaviors influence eating patterns.

Although social impairments showed weaker direct associations with eating behaviors, they indirectly affected both food approach and avoidance behaviors through deficits in executive function, highlighting the complex interplay among behavioral, cognitive, and social domains in ASD.: These findings indicate that RRBs-one of the core characteristics of ASD-can predict children's eating behaviors and are concurrently linked to two seemingly opposite eating patterns. Both social impairments and RRBs appear to influence eating behaviors through executive dysfunction. This study provides new insights into the mechanisms underlying atypical eating behaviors in children with ASD and identifies executive function as a promising target for interventions aimed at improving eating-related outcomes in this population.