Indicators Used to Identify ARFID: A Cross-Sectional Study with Professionals in Spain.

Researchers surveyed 194 Spanish professionals who work with autistic people to understand how they identify eating difficulties called ARFID. Different professionals focused on different signs - psychologists knew more about official diagnostic criteria, while speech and occupational therapists looked more at sensory and movement difficulties. Most professionals (61%) felt uncertain about diagnosing ARFID, and only 34% knew about proper assessment tools. This shows professionals need better training and tools to help identify eating problems in autistic children.

A cross-sectional study of 194 Spanish professionals (speech therapists, psychologists, and occupational therapists) examined their understanding of ARFID indicators when working with autistic individuals. Significant differences emerged across disciplines: psychologists showed greater familiarity with DSM-5 criteria (78%), while speech therapists (72%) and occupational therapists (69%) more frequently identified sensory, oromotor, and behavioral features as relevant. Overall, 61% reported uncertainty about ARFID diagnostic criteria and only 34% were familiar with validated assessment tools. The findings reveal heterogeneous and limited understanding across professions, highlighting the need for structured training and Spanish-adapted assessment instruments to improve ARFID identification.

Findings indicate urgent need for interdisciplinary training on ARFID diagnosis and assessment. Development of Spanish-adapted assessment tools is essential. Establishing standardized protocols across disciplines could improve consistency in ARFID identification among autistic individuals.

Cross-sectional design provides only snapshot data. Sample limited to Spanish professionals, affecting generalizability. Self-reported data may be subject to bias. No validation of actual assessment practices or diagnostic accuracy was conducted.

: Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) frequently co-occurs with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), yet its detection and assessment remain challenging. This study aimed to analyze terminology and professionals' views on features and indicators related to ARFID among Spanish professionals working with autistic individuals, identifying potential gaps and training needs.: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 194 professionals (62 speech therapists, 62 psychologists, and 70 occupational therapists) from different regions of Spain, who completed a 13-item questionnaire on their familiarity with terminology, definitions, and features they consider indicative to ARFID. Descriptive analyses and chi-square tests were applied to explore interprofessional differences.: Significant differences emerged across disciplines (< 0.001). Psychologists showed greater familiarity with DSM-5 diagnostic criteria (78%), while speech-language therapists (72%) and occupational therapists (69%) more frequently endorsed sensory, oromotor, and behavioral features as relevant.

Across all groups, 61% reported uncertainty about ARFID diagnostic criteria, and only 34% reported familiarity with validated assessment tools.: Spanish professionals working with ASD populations demonstrate heterogeneous and generally limited understanding of the features they associate with ARFID, with discipline-specific approaches to assessment. These findings provide initial evidence in Spanish-speaking contexts and underscore the need for structured training and validated Spanish-adapted instruments to support early and accurate ARFID identification.