"Welcomed as I am, not as I am expected to be": towards development of peer support for Autistic people with Eating Disorders.

IF 3.5 3区医学 Q2 PSYCHIATRY

Eating Disorders Pub Date : 2026-07-06 DOI:10.1080/10640266.2026.2691121

Michelle Sader, Nicola Llowarch, Jill Gerlof, Fiona Emmerson, Ellen Maloney, Fiona Duffy, Karri Gillespie-Smith

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Autistic people with eating disorders (ED) report different experiences and needs for ED treatment with a need to expand what existing support looks like. This qualitative study seeks to investigate the perspectives of Autistic people to examine whether peer support may play a role in ED recovery. Twenty-five Autistic adults with experience of EDs completed a survey enquiring about peer support for their community. Survey answers were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis to generate emerging themes surrounding the perspectives and views towards bespoke peer support. Four identified themes encompass the importance and purpose of peer support for Autistic people with an ED: 1) Peer support to validate the unique considerations for Autistic people with an ED; 2) The importance of peer support to build a positive Autistic identity; 3) 'Welcomed as I am, not as I am expected to be": Autistic people's hopes for peer support; 4) Where peer support may harm rather than help. This study is the first to establish community-led views towards the importance and purpose underlying peer support for Autistic adults with an ED. Generated themes can serve as an evidence base for future autism-affirming peer support for ED recovery.

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“我是受欢迎的，而不是被期待的”：发展对患有饮食失调症的自闭症患者的同伴支持。

患有进食障碍（ED）的自闭症患者报告了不同的经历和对ED治疗的需求，需要扩大现有的支持。本质性研究旨在调查自闭症患者的观点，以检验同伴支持是否可能在ED康复中发挥作用。25名有过急症经历的自闭症成年人完成了一项调查，询问他们社区的同伴支持情况。使用反身性主题分析来分析调查答案，以产生围绕定制同伴支持的观点和观点的新主题。四个确定的主题涵盖了同伴支持对患有ED的自闭症患者的重要性和目的：1)同伴支持验证患有ED的自闭症患者的独特考虑；2)同伴支持对建立积极自闭症认同的重要性；3)“我是受欢迎的，而不是被期待的”：自闭症患者希望得到同伴的支持；4)同伴的支持可能会造成伤害而不是帮助。本研究首次建立了以社区为主导的观点，认为同伴支持对患有ED的自闭症成年人的重要性和目的。生成的主题可以作为未来自闭症确认的ED康复同伴支持的证据基础。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Eating Disorders PSYCHIATRY-PSYCHOLOGY

CiteScore

7.70

自引率

9.10%

发文量

期刊介绍： Eating Disorders is contemporary and wide ranging, and takes a fundamentally practical, humanistic, compassionate view of clients and their presenting problems. You’ll find a multidisciplinary perspective on clinical issues and prevention research that considers the essential cultural, social, familial, and personal elements that not only foster eating-related problems, but also furnish clues that facilitate the most effective possible therapies and treatment approaches.