Abstract

Aim: Literature has highlighted the overlap between Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), yet the impact of subclinical autistic traits on feeding behavior in ADHD populations remains underexplored. This study aims to investigate eating behaviors in children diagnosed with ADHD compared to typically developing peers and to assess how elevated autistic traits influence feeding behavior within the ADHD group.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional comparative design was employed involving 67 children with ADHD and 75 healthy controls. Data were collected using the Children’s Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ) and Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS). Within the ADHD group, participants were stratified by presence of autistic traits. Group comparisons and correlation were conducted to examine associations between autistic traits and feeding behaviors.
Results: Compared to controls, children with ADHD exhibited significantly higher scores in Desire to Drink and lower scores in Emotional Under-Eating. Within the ADHD group, those with autistic traits demonstrated significantly higher Food Fussiness scores than those without. Correlation analyses revealed significant associations between total SRS scores and multiple CEBQ subscales, including Emotional Overeating, Desire to Drink, Satiety Responsiveness, and Food Fussiness. Subscales such as Pathognomonic Autistic Behaviors and Reciprocal Social Behavior were especially predictive of disordered eating patterns.
Conclusion: Findings suggest that autistic traits—even at subclinical levels—are significantly associated with maladaptive eating behaviors in children with ADHD. These results emphasize the importance of transdiagnostic approaches in clinical assessments, moving beyond categorical diagnoses. Understanding the dimensional interplay between ADHD symptoms and autistic traits may improve early nutritional interventions and individualized treatment strategies.

Key words: Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Children, Eating Behavior, Subclinical Traits, Social Responsiveness