101707: Asperger's and Eating Disorders

About the Course:

Webinar from the 2009 International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals Symposium.
Note: For this course there is a small additional fee to obtain the webinar. Please see the “Get Course Materials” link in the right sidebar for details.

According to recent studies, approximately 18-23 percent of adolescent girls with Anorexia also show signs of Asperger’s Disorder (Atwood, 2007). Inflexible adherence to routines and rituals, restricted areas of interest, rigid thinking styles, and delayed social and emotional development are clinical hallmarks of Aspergers Syndrome. These features create the perfect breeding ground for an eating disorder, particular among teen girls with Aspergers who desire acceptance, but struggle with social skills limitations. This presentation will equip clinicians to accurately assess Asperger’s Disorder, and will provide recommendations for clinical interventions that are specific to this unique subgroup within the eating disordered population.

Content Outline:
I. Asperger’s Syndrome A. Prevalence B. Clinical Features 1. Impairments in social interaction 2. Impairments in communication 3. Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, activities C. Common Misconceptions about Aspergers D. Aspergers and Relationships 1. Delayed Theory of Mind (TOM) skills 2. Social withdrawal and avoidance E. Aspergers and Emotions 1. Problems with regulation and distress tolerance 2. Alexithymia F. Asperger’s and Cognition 1. Perseveration 2. Rigid/concrete style G. Aspergers and Anxiety 1. Social Phobia 2. OCD H. Asperger’s and Personality Disorders(overlapping features) 1. Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder 2. Schizotypal Personality Disorder II. Asperger’s and Eating Disorders- Overlapping Features A. Relationships B. Emotions C. Cognitions D. Anxiety III. Proposed causal pathway for Aspergers to eating disorder A. Strong need for acceptance after repeated social rejection B. Awareness that being thin is a concrete way to achieve acceptance C. Pursuit of thinness becomes obsessional area of interest/behavior D. Preference for ritual and routine causes dieting/exercise behaviors to become rigid and entrenched IV. Sensory Integration issues in Asperger’s A. Gustatory and Olfactory Sensitivities B. Food avoidance and restricted eating patterns V. Assessment A. Structured Interviews B. Neuropsychological Testing VI. Intervention A. Social skills training B. Exposure Therapy C. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy skills D. Family Psycho-education E. Medications

Author

Jennifer Lafferty O'Connor, Ph.D.

About the Author:

Jennifer Lafferty O’Connor has served as a clinical psychologist Remuda Ranch Programs for Anorexia and Bulimia since 2004. She earned her Bachelor’s degree at Georgetown University and earned her Masters and Doctoral degrees in clinical psychology from Alliant International University. She specializes in the assessment and treatment of eating disorders and anxiety disorders in children and teens. She has published articles and presented seminars on topics including pervasive developmental disorders, obsessive compulsive spectrum disorders, and eating disorders. She has made several television and radio appearances to provide expertise on child and adolescent anxiety disorders.

Recommended For:

This course is recommended for health care professionals, especially psychologists, therapists, and counselors who seek to update their research knowledge and competency in treating patients with eating disorders, increase and acquire new skills, learn new intervention strategies, and obtain continuing education credits. It is appropriate for professionals at all levels of knowledge.

Course Objectives:

1. Participants will be able to identify specific methods of clinical assessment and intervention for this unique subgroup within eating disordered population.

2. Participants will be able to identify the primary clinical hallmarks of Asperger’s Disorder.

3. Participants will be to describe the clinical features of Aspergers Disorder that may contribute to the development of an eating disorder.