“Actually an ED and not just a quirky aspect of autism”: TikTok as a forum and mediator of autistic food issues and eating disorders

Abstract

Restrictive eating disorders (EDs) have among the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorder. To date, little research has investigated the role of digital media in sharing ED experiences and promoting recovery for autistic individuals, despite high autism rates among those with EDs and the potential for social media (SM) to provide resources and support for adolescent girls and young women living with EDs. Given this gap, we undertook an exploratory study to assess content pertaining to autistic people’s difficulties with food and eating on the leading SM app TikTok. We identified four main themes: (a) EDs and autism; (b) cognitive, sensory, and behavioral dimensions of autistic eating and body issues; (c) social, cultural, and economic aspects of autistic people’s food challenges; and (d) self-reported role of TikTok in autistic individuals’ coping with food/eating difficulties. Our study contributes several novel findings to research on digital media, mental health, and marginalized populations.