Association Between Autism Severity and Feeding Behaviors in Children: A Cross-Sectional Study
American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1177/19437676261478045
- Dergi Adı: American Journal of Occupational Therapy
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, Agricultural & Environmental Science Database, CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Psycinfo, DIALNET, Social Science Premium Collection (ProQuest), Biomedical Reference Collection: Corporate Edition (EBSCO), Education Collection (ProQuest), Health Research Premium Collection (ProQuest), Pharma Collection (ProQuest), Sociology Database (ProQuest)
- Anahtar Kelimeler: autism severity, autism spectrum disorder, feeding problems
- Lokman Hekim Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Importance: Feeding difficulties are common in autistic children, but their relationship with autism severity remains unclear. Objective: To examine differences in feeding behaviors according to autism severity and investigate associations between selected autism symptom domains and feeding behaviors in autistic children. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Special education and rehabilitation center. Participants: Eighty-two autistic children aged 4–8 years participated. Based on Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) scores, 42 children were classified into the mild-to-moderate group and 40 into the severe group. Outcomes and Measures: Autism severity was assessed using CARS. Feeding behaviors were evaluated using the Behavioral Pediatric Feeding Assessment Scale (BPFAS). Results: Children in the severe group showed significantly higher total and subdomain BPFAS scores than children in the mild-to-moderate group (p < .05). Significant positive associations were observed between selected CARS domains and feeding behavior problems. The strongest associations were observed for sensory-related characteristics (taste, smell, and touch response and use), relating to people, and fear or nervousness. In contrast, emotional response showed weaker but significant associations (p < .05). Regression analysis showed that autism severity significantly predicted feeding difficulties and explained 65.1% of the variance in BPFAS scores (adjusted R2 = .651, p < .001). Conclusions and Relevance: Feeding behavior problems were more pronounced in children in the severe group, and autism severity emerged as a clinically relevant predictor of feeding difficulties. Sensory-related and socioemotional characteristics demonstrated meaningful associations with feeding behaviors, supporting the importance of individualized and multidisciplinary assessment and intervention in autistic children.