Screening for Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder Symptoms Among Autistic Adults: Measurement Invariance With a Comparison General Sample.
Courtney E Breiner, Goldie A McQuaid, Gregory L Wallace and 1 others
PMID 40251946WHAT IT FOUND
The Nine-item ARFID Screen works the same way for autistic adults as it does for the general population.
Autistic adults reported significantly higher scores for picky eating, low appetite, and fear of eating consequences than general population adults.
Key findings
01The Nine-item ARFID Screen (NIAS) demonstrates measurement invariance between autistic adults and a general population sample, meaning it measures the same constructs with equal precision and on the same scale in both groups.
02Autistic adults scored significantly higher than general population adults on all three NIAS subscales: picky eating, appetite, and fear.
03The elevated ARFID symptoms found in autistic adults are likely a real clinical phenomenon rather than a measurement artifact caused by autistic traits.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The general population sample was not screened for autism, so it is not a confirmed neurotypical comparison group. Autism diagnoses were self-reported and not verified by clinical records. Both samples were majority women, which may limit generalizability to autistic men. The study only included autistic adults who could complete self-report measures, excluding those with higher support needs or intellectual disability. The NIAS is a screening tool and does not capture all diagnostic criteria for ARFID; it should not be used for diagnosis alone.
Declared interests
The study was supported by non-U.S. government research funding. No commercial conflicts of interest were declared in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not use the NIAS as a standalone diagnostic tool. It is a screening instrument that identifies symptom severity but does not capture all diagnostic criteria for ARFID, nor does it rule out other eating disorders like anorexia nervosa. A full clinical evaluation is required for diagnosis.