Barriers and facilitators to ethical co-production with Autistic people with an eating disorder

Nimbley, E., Maloney, E., Buchan, K., Sader, M., Gillespie‐Smith, K., & Duffy, F. (2024). Barriers and facilitators to ethical co-production with Autistic people with an eating disorder. Journal of Eating Disorders, 12(1), 113-113. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-024-01076-y

Publication date: 9 Aug 2024 Added to AutiHub: 6 Jul 2026 Type: Article Article language: English

This publication is integrated into AutiHub through:

Authors

Publication authors
6
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 6 (16.7%)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Co-production is the collaboration between researchers and the lived experience community in designing, conducting and sharing research. The importance of co-production is increasingly advocated in both the autism and eating disorder fields. Despite this, there remains a lack of clarity at how to define, apply and conduct ethical co-production. Understanding common challenges and what we can do to overcome these challenges are integral to ensuring ethical and meaningful research with Autistic people with an eating disorder. The current study therefore explored: What are the barriers and facilitators to ethical co-production with Autistic people with an ED? METHODS: Five workshops were conducted with 30 collaborators exploring barriers and facilitators to ethical co-production. Synchronous (online workshops) and asynchronous (offline discussion forum) data was analysed using thematic analysis. Themes were co-produced by a neurotypical and Autistic researcher with lived/living experience of an eating disorder. RESULTS: Four themes were identified that explored barriers to ethical co-production: unequal partnerships, the inaccessibility of research, excluded by diagnoses and communication differences. Three themes were identified with regards to facilitators of ethical co-production: shared power (with sub-themes relationships, not roles and creative compensation), clarity and transparency and autism-affirming approaches. DISCUSSION: Conducting ethical co-production with Autistic people with eating disorders has the potential to generate meaningful research that can be translated into improving the lives of the Autistic and eating disorder community. To achieve this, co-production teams should strive towards shared power and long-term relationships, adapting for communication differences and preferences and operating firmly within an autism-affirming framework. It is hoped that study findings will inspire collaboration, discussion and novel, translatable research.

Bibliography cited by this reference

Cited references are imported from external metadata sources when they are available. The list may be partial.

Bibliography inclusion overview

These indicators describe the cited bibliography imported for this publication. Cited-reference metrics use the cited-reference total as denominator. Cited-author metrics state whether they use all cited-author occurrences or only occurrences linked to authors already integrated in the AutiHub database. They use cached links between cited authors and authors integrated in the AutiHub database. Last computed: 16 Aug 2026 11:31.

Cited references
69
Total cited references integrated for this publication.
Cited references with an identified autistic author
8 / 69 (11.6%)
Cited author occurrences identified as autistic
15 / 355 (4.2%)
Among occurrences linked to AutiHub author records: 15 / 108 (13.9%). Distinct cited authors identified as autistic: 13 / 300 (4.3%).
Cited author occurrences linked to AutiHub author records
108 / 355 (30.4%)
Distinct linked cited authors: 70 / 300 (23.3%)
Linked cited-author occurrences not identified as autistic
93 / 108 (86.1%)
Among linked cited-author occurrences only. Across all cited-author occurrences: 93 / 355 (26.2%). Distinct linked cited authors not identified as autistic: 57 / 70 (81.4%).
4 cited bibliography entries could not be fully enriched from DOI metadata.
Crossref: not found (2) · DataCite: not found (2)
  1. Elizabeth Pellicano , Adam Dinsmore , Tony Charman (2013). A future made together: shaping autism research in the UK . IOE EPrints.
    Type: Article OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W150421255
    Crossref OpenAlex
  2. Kiera Louise Adams , Will Mandy , Caroline Catmur , Geoffrey Bird (2024). Potential mechanisms underlying the association between feeding and eating disorders and autism . Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 162, 105717. Elsevier BV.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  3. Felicity Sedgewick , Jenni Leppanen , Kate Tchanturia (2021). Gender differences in mental health prevalence in autism . Advances in Autism, 7(3), 208-224. Emerald.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  4. Damian Milton *Autistic author. Learn more… (2012). On the ontological status of autism: the ‘double empathy problem’ . Disability & Society, 27(6), 883-887. Informa UK Limited.
    AutiHub · Autistic Scholars Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  5. Kiera Louise Adams , Jennifer Murphy , Caroline Catmur , Geoffrey Bird (2022). The role of interoception in the overlap between eating disorders and autism: Methodological considerations . European Eating Disorders Review, 30(5), 501-509. Wiley.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1002/erv.2905 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4223512617
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  6. Salma Mansour , Vanja Rozenblat , Matthew Fuller-Tyszkiewicz , Chiara Paganini , Janet Treasure , Isabel Krug (2016). Emotions mediate the relationship between autistic traits and disordered eating: A new autistic-emotional model for eating pathology . Psychiatry Research, 245, 119-126. Elsevier BV.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  7. Virginia Braun , Victoria Clarke (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology . Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101. Informa UK Limited.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  8. González Moreno, Andrés Santiago (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders . American Psychiatric Association.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  9. Kate Tchanturia , James Adamson , Jenni Leppanen , Heather Westwood (2019). Characteristics of autism spectrum disorder in anorexia nervosa: A naturalistic study in an inpatient treatment programme . Autism, 23(1), 123-130. SAGE Publications.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  10. Anna Oldershaw , David Hambrook , Kate Tchanturia , Janet Treasure , Ulrike Schmidt (2010). Emotional Theory of Mind and Emotional Awareness in Recovered Anorexia Nervosa Patients . Psychosomatic Medicine, 72(1), 73-79. Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health).
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  11. C Babb (2021). Babb C, Brede J, Jones C, et al. It’s not that they don’t want to access the support…it’s the impact of autism: The experience of eating disorder services from the perspective of autistic women, parents and healthcare professional. Autism. 2021;25(5):1409–21. https://doi.org/10 . 1177/1362361321991256. Autism.
    Type: Other DOI: 10.1177/1362361321991256 Crossref: not found DataCite: not found
    Crossref
  12. Ruth S. Weissman , Anne E. Becker , Cynthia M. Bulik , Guido K.W. Frank , Kelly L. Klump , Howard Steiger et al. (2016). Speaking of that: Terms to avoid or reconsider in the eating disorders field . International Journal of Eating Disorders, 49(4), 349-353. Wiley.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  13. Vanessa Huke , Jeremy Turk , Saeideh Saeidi , Andy Kent , John. F. Morgan (2013). Autism Spectrum Disorders in Eating Disorder Populations: A Systematic Review . European Eating Disorders Review, 21(5), 345-351. Wiley.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1002/erv.2244 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2102011190
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  14. Will Mandy , Kate Tchanturia (2015). Do women with eating disorders who have social and flexibility difficulties really have autism? A case series . Molecular Autism, 6(1), 6-6. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  15. Siofra Bradley , Fhionna R. Moore , Fiona Duffy , Lili Clark , Tasha Suratwala , Pooky Knightsmith et al. (2024). Camouflaging, not sensory processing or autistic identity, predicts eating disorder symptoms in autistic adults . Autism, 28(11), 2858-2868. SAGE Publications.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  16. Andrea Cornwall , Rachel Jewkes (1995). What is participatory research? Social Science & Medicine, 41(12), 1667-1676. Elsevier BV.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  17. Jonathan P. Tennant , François Waldner , Damien C. Jacques , Paola Masuzzo , Lauren B. Collister , Chris. H. J. Hartgerink (2016). The academic, economic and societal impacts of Open Access: an evidence-based review . F1000Research, 5, 632. F1000 Research Ltd.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  18. Eric Strother , Raymond Lemberg , Stevie Chariese Stanford , Dayton Turberville (2012). Eating Disorders in Men: Underdiagnosed, Undertreated, and Misunderstood . Eating Disorders, 20(5), 346-355. Informa UK Limited.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  19. Janina Brede , Charli Babb , Catherine Jones , Mair Elliott , Cathy Zanker , Kate Tchanturia et al. (2020). “For Me, the Anorexia is Just a Symptom, and the Cause is the Autism”: Investigating Restrictive Eating Disorders in Autistic Women . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 50(12), 4280-4296. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  20. Heather Westwood , Kate Tchanturia (2017). Autism Spectrum Disorder in Anorexia Nervosa: An Updated Literature Review . Current Psychiatry Reports, 19(7), 41-41. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  21. Louise Karjalainen , Christopher Gillberg , Maria Råstam , Elisabet Wentz (2016). Eating disorders and eating pathology in young adult and adult patients with ESSENCE . Comprehensive Psychiatry, 66, 79-86. Elsevier BV.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  22. Édith Breton , Robert‐Paul Juster , Linda Booij (2023). Gender and sex in eating disorders: A narrative review of the current state of knowledge, research gaps, and recommendations . Brain and Behavior, 13(4), e2871-e2871. Wiley.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  23. Lorcan Kenny , Caroline Hattersley , Bonnie Molins , Carole Buckley , Carol Povey , Elizabeth Pellicano (2016). Which terms should be used to describe autism? Perspectives from the UK autism community . Autism, 20(4), 442-462. SAGE Publications.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  24. Simon M. Bury , Rachel Jellett , Jennifer R. Spoor , Darren Hedley (2023). “It Defines Who I Am” or “It’s Something I Have”: What Language Do [Autistic] Australian Adults [on the Autism Spectrum] Prefer? Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 53(2), 677-687. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  25. Annelies A. Spek , Wendy van Rijnsoever , Lisa van Laarhoven , Michelle Kiep (2020). Eating Problems in Men and Women with an Autism Spectrum Disorder . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 50(5), 1748-1755. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  26. Barbara Carpita , Dario Muti , Ivan Mirko Cremone , Andrea Fagiolini , Liliana Dell’Osso (2022). Eating disorders and autism spectrum: links and risks . CNS Spectrums, 27(3), 272-280. Cambridge University Press (CUP).
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  27. Rachael Davis , Catherine J. Crompton (2021). What Do New Findings About Social Interaction in Autistic Adults Mean for Neurodevelopmental Research? Perspectives on Psychological Science, 16(3), 649-653. SAGE Publications.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  28. Michael P. Levine , Niva Piran (2004). The prevention of eating disorders: Toward a participatory ecology of knowledge, action, and advocacy. In Eating disorders: Innovative directions in research and practice. (pp. 233-253). American Psychological Association.
    Type: Book chapter DOI: 10.1037/10403-012 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2500102276
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  29. Takeshi Inoue , Ryoko Otani , Toshiyuki Iguchi , Ryuta Ishii , Soh Uchida , Ayumi Okada et al. (2021). Prevalence of autism spectrum disorder and autistic traits in children with anorexia nervosa and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder . BioPsychoSocial Medicine, 15(1), 9-9. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  30. Francesca Solmi , Francesca Bentivegna , Helen Bould , Will Mandy , Radha Kothari , Dheeraj Rai et al. (2021). Trajectories of autistic social traits in childhood and adolescence and disordered eating behaviours at age 14 years: A UK general population cohort study . Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 62(1), 75-85. Wiley.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  31. C. Gesi , C. Carmassi , M. Luciano , L. Bossini , V. Ricca , A. Fagiolini et al. (2017). Autistic Traits in Patients with Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa or Binge Eating Disorder: A Pilot Study . European Psychiatry, 41(S1), S100-S100. Cambridge University Press (CUP).
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  32. Emma Gowen (2019). Gowen E, Taylor R, Bleazard T, Greenstein A, Baimbridge P, Poole D. Guidelines for conducting research studies with the autism community. Autism Policy Practice. 2019;2:29–45. Autism Policy Practice., 2, 29.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  33. M Solmi , T D Wade , S Byrne , C Del Giovane , C G Fairburn , E G Ostinelli et al. (2021). Comparative efficacy and acceptability of psychological interventions for the treatment of adult outpatients with anorexia nervosa: a systematic review and network meta-analysis . The Lancet Psychiatry, 8(3), 215-224. Elsevier BV.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  34. Bruno Palazzo Nazar , Vanessa Peynenburg , Charlotte Rhind , Rebecca Hibbs , Ulrike Schmidt , Simon Gowers et al. (2018). An examination of the clinical outcomes of adolescents and young adults with broad autism spectrum traits and autism spectrum disorder and anorexia nervosa: A multi centre study . International Journal of Eating Disorders, 51(2), 174-179. Wiley.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  35. Amelia Hemmings , Helen Sharpe , Karina Allen , Heike Bartel , Iain C. Campbell , Sylvane Desrivières et al. (2023). EDIFY (Eating Disorders: Delineating Illness and Recovery Trajectories to Inform Personalised Prevention and Early Intervention in Young People): project outline . BJPsych Bulletin, 47(6), 328-336. Royal College of Psychiatrists.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  36. Kathryn Oliver , Anita Kothari , Nicholas Mays (2019). The dark side of coproduction: do the costs outweigh the benefits for health research? Health Research Policy and Systems, 17(1), 33. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  37. Jenni Leppanen , Felicity Sedgewick , Janet Treasure , Kate Tchanturia (2018). Differences in the Theory of Mind profiles of patients with anorexia nervosa and individuals on the autism spectrum: A meta-analytic review . Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 90, 146-163. Elsevier BV.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  38. Heather Hower , Andrea LaMarre , Rachel Bachner-Melman , Erin N. Harrop , Beth McGilley , Therese E. Kenny (2022). Conceptualizing eating disorder recovery research: Current perspectives and future research directions . Journal of Eating Disorders, 10(1), 165-165. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  39. Ruyue Zhang , Andreas Birgegård , Bengt Fundín , Mikael Landén , Laura M. Thornton , Cynthia M. Bulik et al. (2022). Association of autism diagnosis and polygenic scores with eating disorder severity . European Eating Disorders Review, 30(5), 442-458. Wiley.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1002/erv.2941 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4286215632
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  40. Emma Kinnaird , Catherine Stewart , Kate Tchanturia (2018). Taste sensitivity in anorexia nervosa: A systematic review . International Journal of Eating Disorders, 51(8), 771-784. Wiley.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  41. Jess Kerr‐Gaffney , Luke Mason , Emily J.H. Jones , Hannah Hayward , Jumana Ahmad , Amy Harrison et al. (2020). Emotion Recognition Abilities in Adults with Anorexia Nervosa are Associated with Autistic Traits . Journal of Clinical Medicine, 9(4), 1057. MDPI AG.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  42. Kerry McGregor , John L. McKenna , Ellis P. Barrera , Coleen R. Williams , Sydney M. Hartman-Munick , Carly E. Guss (2023). Disordered eating and considerations for the transgender community: a review of the literature and clinical guidance for assessment and treatment . Journal of Eating Disorders, 11(1), 75. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  43. Emma Kinnaird , Caroline Norton , Catherine Stewart , Kate Tchanturia (2019). Same behaviours, different reasons: what do patients with co-occurring anorexia and autism want from treatment? International Review of Psychiatry, 31(4), 308-317. Informa UK Limited.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  44. Jess Kerr‐Gaffney , Hannah Hayward , Emily J.H. Jones , Daniel Halls , Declan Murphy , Kate Tchanturia (2021). Autism symptoms in anorexia nervosa: a comparative study with females with autism spectrum disorder . Molecular Autism, 12(1), 47-47. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  45. E Kinnaird (2020). Kinnaird E, Tchanturia K. Looking beneath the surface: distinguishing between common features in autism and anorexia nervosa. J Behav Cognit Therapy. 2020;31(1):1–13. J Behav Cognit Therapy, 31(1), 1.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  46. Emma Gowen , Rachel Taylor , Thomas Bleazard , Anat Greenstein , Peter Baimbridge , Daniel Poole (2019). Guidelines for conducting research studies with the autism community. Autism Policy & Practice, 2(1), 29.
    Type: Article OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2987130266
    OpenAlex
  47. Phaedra Longhurst , Lilli Clark (2022). Integrating the Autistic Experience Into Existing Models for Disordered Eating . Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 926415-926415. Frontiers Media SA.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  48. Emy Nimbley , Lisa Golds , Helen Sharpe , Karri Gillespie‐Smith , Fiona Duffy (2022). Sensory processing and eating behaviours in autism: A systematic review . European Eating Disorders Review, 30(5), 538-559. Wiley.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1002/erv.2920 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4283324823
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  49. Tanner Koomar , Taylor Thomas , Natalie R. Pottschmidt , Michael Lutter , Jacob J. Michaelson (2021). Estimating the Prevalence and Genetic Risk Mechanisms of ARFID in a Large Autism Cohort . Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12, 668297-668297. Frontiers Media SA.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  50. Hannah Kate Lewis , Una Foye (2022). From prevention to peer support: a systematic review exploring the involvement of lived-experience in eating disorder interventions . Mental Health Review Journal, 27(1), 1-17. Emerald.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  51. Zhuo Li , Yasemin Dandil , Cindy Toloza , Anna Carr , Oyenike Oyeleye , Emma Kinnaird et al. (2020). Measuring Clinical Efficacy Through the Lens of Audit Data in Different Adult Eating Disorder Treatment Programmes . Frontiers in Psychiatry, 11, 599945-599945. Frontiers Media SA.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  52. Jason M. Nagata , Kyle T. Ganson , Stuart B. Murray (2020). Eating disorders in adolescent boys and young men: an update . Current Opinion in Pediatrics, 32(4), 476-481. Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health).
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  53. Joseph Long (2017). Long J, Panese J, Ferguson J, Hamill MA, Miller J. Enabling voice and participation in autism services: using practitioner research to develop inclusive practice. Good Autism Pract. 2017;18:6–14. Good Autism Pract., 18(2), 6.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  54. Marissa A. Parsons (2023). Autism diagnosis in females by eating disorder professionals . Journal of Eating Disorders, 11(1), 73. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  55. Eloise Stark , Dorota Ali , Annalise Ayre , Naomi Schneider , Sophia Parveen , Keith Marais et al. (2021). Coproduction with Autistic Adults: Reflections from the Authentistic Research Collective . Autism in Adulthood, 3(2), 195-203. SAGE Publications.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  56. D Milton (2013). Milton D, Maclean D, E. ‘Filling in the gaps’: a micro-sociological analysis of autism. Auton Crit J Interdiscipl Autism Studies. 2013;1(2):1–7. Auton Crit J Interdiscipl Autism Studies, 1(2), 1.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  57. Cat Papastavrou Brooks , Eshika Kafle , Natali Butt , Dave Chawner , Anna Day *Autistic author. Learn more… , Chloë Elsby-Pearson et al. (2023). Co-producing principles to guide health research: an illustrative case study from an eating disorder research clinic . Research Involvement and Engagement, 9(1), 84. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  58. Charli Babb , Janina Brede , Catherine R G Jones , Mair Elliott , Cathy Zanker , Kate Tchanturia et al. (2021). ‘It’s not that they don’t want to access the support... it’s the impact of the autism’: The experience of eating disorder services from the perspective of autistic women, parents and healthcare professionals . Autism, 25(5), 1409-1421. SAGE Publications.
    OpenAlex
  59. National Institute for Health and Care Research (2021) Guidance on co-producing a research project. [ https://www.learningforinvolvement.org.uk/content/resource/nihr-guidance-on-co-producing-a-research-project/ ], (Accessed on 9th April 2024).
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  60. Nimbley E, Sharpe H, Maloney E, Gillespie-Smith K, Tchanturia K, Duffy F. Treatment outcomes in Autistic people with an eating disorder: A mixed methods systematic review. Manuscript submitted for publication (2024).
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  61. H Pickard (2021). Pickard H, Pellicano E, Den Houting K, Crane L. Participatory autism research: early career and established researchers’ views and experiences. Autism. 2021. https://doi.org/10 . 1177/1362361321101959. Autism.
    Type: Other DOI: 10.1177/1362361321101959 Crossref: not found DataCite: not found
    Crossref
  62. Soo Jung Rim , KeumJoo Kwak , Subin Park (2023). Risk of psychiatric comorbidity with autism spectrum disorder and its association with diagnosis timing using a nationally representative cohort . Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 104, 102134. Elsevier BV.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations