Using the Ritvo Autism Asperger Diagnostic Scale-Revised (RAADS-R) disentangle the heterogeneity of autistic traits in an Italian eating disorder population

Background: In recent years it has been suggested that eating disorders (ED) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) could share common difficulties and cognitive style. Recent epidemiological studies found that about 25% of women with anorexia nervosa (AN) reached the cut-off in screening questionnaires for ASD. The present study aimed to assess the heterogeneity of ASD traits in an ED population and extend previous results to ED other than AN in the DSM-5 era.