Autistic Traits Mediate Reductions in Social Attention in Adults with Anorexia Nervosa.

EYE movements; FACIAL expression; FACE; AUTISM; ATTENTION; PATHOLOGICAL psychology; MENTAL depression; ALEXITHYMIA; QUESTIONNAIRES; ANOREXIA nervosa; SOCIAL skills; ANXIETY; COMORBIDITY; MENTAL illness; ADULTS

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is associated with difficulties in social and emotional functioning. A significant proportion of individuals with AN show autistic traits, which may influence social attention. This study examined attention to faces and facial features in AN, recovered AN (REC), and healthy controls, as well as relationships with comorbid psychopathology. One hundred and forty-eight participants' eye movements were tracked while watching a naturalistic social scene. Anxiety, depression, alexithymia, and autistic traits were assessed via self-report questionnaires. Participants with AN spent significantly less time looking at faces compared to REC and controls; patterns of attention to individual facial features did not differ across groups. Autistic traits mediated the relationship between group and time spent looking at faces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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