Shared family meals are associated with family functioning and thought to protect against disordered eating in families with neurotypical children. Limited research, however, has examined the mealtime structure or experience in families with children with autism (Autism spectrum condition) and/or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, despite…

Background: Eating patterns such as breakfast consumption and fruit and vegetable intake have been associated with academic achievement and cognitive function. Method: The purpose of this study was to learn more about psychological (emotion-driven eating) and behavioral (over-eating) eating patterns and motives, and the roles of body image,…

Purpose: Feeding challenges in children are common, at times reaching a severity that requires the placement and long-term use of enteral feedings. A significant barrier to advancing the oral eating of some tube-dependent children is the presence of oral aversion. Although some research exists regarding the treatment of tube-dependent children who…

This study examined the relationships between holistic grief effects experienced by college students, mental health, and the use of various counseling supports. A total of 1,092 college students completed an online survey about their losses, holistic grief effects they experienced, and the various types of counseling support they utilized while…

In addition to the triad of impairments experienced by children and adolescents diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), they often present with symptoms of psychiatric disorders. To date, very few studies have examined gender differences in regards to psychiatric symptoms in children and adolescents diagnosed with an ASD. Thus, the current…

Under heightened emotional states, individuals are more inclined to engage in ill-considered or rash actions than at other times. The authors present evidence for the existence of 2 related traits called positive and negative urgency. The traits refer to individual differences in the disposition to engage in rash action when experiencing extreme…

Positive- and negative-reinforcement-based procedures typically have targeted acceptance for children with severe food refusal; however, these procedures do not always result in successful swallowing. Once acceptance is achieved, some children expel the food repeatedly or pack (hold or pocket) it in their mouths for extended periods of time. This…

Two experiments involving 143 and 1,480 individuals with severe and profound mental retardation found that persons with profound mental retardation were more likely to evince sterotypies or self-injury (SIB) compared to their severely impaired counterparts. Those with stereotypies were more likely to present with autism, organicity, and eating…

Describes the dramatic increase in eating and depressive disorders experienced by significant numbers of girls as they pass through puberty. The Adolescent Study Program followed girls with eating and depressive problems across the entire adolescent decade. Discusses characteristics which are predictive of more intense problems while suggesting…