Autistic traits and ARFID-associated eating behaviors in preschoolers: Mediating effects of sensory processing patterns.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the association between autistic traits and Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)-associated eating behaviors in preschool-age children and investigated whether this association was mediated by sensory processing patterns. METHOD: A cross-sectional, parent-reported study was conducted between July 2022 and March 2023 among 503 preschoolers aged 4-6 years in China. Parents provided assessments of their children's autistic traits using the Social Responsiveness Scale, sensory processing patterns using the Short Sensory Profile 2, and ARFID-associated eating behaviors using the Nine Items ARFID Screen. The mediation model based on ordinary least squares regression was employed to test the mediating effects of sensory processing patterns between autistic traits and ARFID-associated eating behaviors. RESULTS: The results indicated significant associations among autistic traits, ARFID-associated eating behaviors, and sensory processing patterns. Moreover, mediation analyses revealed that sensory processing patterns played a partial mediating role in the relationship between autistic traits and ARFID-associated eating behaviors. Specifically, autistic traits were observed to weaken ARFID-associated eating behaviors, particularly picky eating and poor appetite, through Registration, while simultaneously fostering them through Sensitivity and Avoiding. DISCUSSION: Our study is limited to some extent by the inability to draw longitudinal conclusions from cross-sectional data. Nevertheless, it underscores the significance of early identification and intervention for food avoidance/restriction behaviors due to sensory processing abnormalities in children with heightened autistic traits. This proactive approach may contribute to mitigating ARFID-associated eating behaviors that might drive clinical symptoms of ARFID.

A Study on Reliability and Validity of the Simplified Chinese Version of the Trans Woman Voice Questionnaire.

PURPOSE: This study aims to translate the English version of the Trans Woman Voice Questionnaire (TWVQ) to simplified Chinese (TWVQ-SC) and to examine its reliability and validity. METHOD: Standardized translation procedures were strictly followed for the translation of the TWVQ. Two hundred sixty trans woman and 128 cis woman subjects completed sociodemographic investigation, the TWVQ-SC, and the Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10) online. Internal consistency was examined by Cronbach reliability coefficient (Cronbach α). Test-retest reliability was quantified by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Content validity, structural validity, and discriminant validity were examined by expert panel's judgment, factor analysis, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, and the Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: The Cronbach α of the TWVQ-SC was .969 and the ICC was .841, indicating excellent internal consistency and good test-retest reliability. The four principal factors explained 21.345%, 18.592%, 13.551%, and 12.027% of the variance respectively with the cumulative contribution rate 65.514%. There was a strong correlation between the total score of the TWVQ-SC and that of the VHI-10 (r = .858, p < .001), indicating good structural validity. The total score of the TWVQ-SC of the trans woman subjects was significantly higher than that of the cis woman subjects (z = 14.590, p < .05), indicating good discriminant validity. CONCLUSION: The TWVQ-SC exhibits overall high reliability and validity, qualified to be applied as a reliable clinical tool to evaluate trans women's voice in mainland China.