Enhancing Eating Disorder research networks: The Eating Disorders and Autism Collaborative (EDAC)

进食障碍（ED）是一种严重的心理健康问题，与生活质量差和广泛的心理，社会和医疗并发症有关。ED的发病率正在上升，越来越多的人寻求治疗。与其他精神健康状况相比，对ED的研究很少，限制了我们对这些状况的理解以及我们开发新的有效治疗方法的能力。重要的是，ED通常与其他疾病和神经类型（例如，肥胖症和自闭症），但大多数关于ED的研究都没有利用这些其他主题领域的专业知识和创新。迫切需要新的艾德研究，更广泛和更多样化的合作，以在这一领域取得进展。这项建议旨在通过以下方式提高艾德研究能力：1）促进不同学科之间的合作，具体目标是研究自闭症个体的ED。2)支持跨学科研究网络的发展，将学术界、自闭症同行研究人员、第三部门、政策、临床医生和有ED生活经验的个人联系起来。3）发展一系列牢固嵌入生活经验的网络、优先事项设定和研究活动。4)通过早期职业研究人员和同行研究人员提高研究能力和职业发展，支持下一代艾德研究人员。5)发展一个独特的苏格兰研究合作，提供了一个关键的机会，在英国各地发展和多样化的艾德研究专业知识。该项目的核心将是在苏格兰建立一个新的跨学科网络，旨在使用不同的方法和途径开展由具有ED生活经验的自闭症患者领导的合作研究。更具体地说，我们将开发四个工作流：1）走到一起：我们将举办合作活动，将研究人员，临床医生和自闭症患者与ED的生活经验聚集在一起，探索伦理挑战和研究在这一领域的最佳实践方法。2)制定议程：我们将使用一种名为photovoice的基于艺术的方法，让患有ED的自闭症患者分享他们的经验，并为这一领域的研究设定优先事项。这将涉及一个展览，展示这些参与者创建的图像。3）测试方法：研究人员将聚集在一起，根据第二个工作流中确定的优先领域尝试新的方法和合作。我们将开展一系列跨学科的网络活动，以探索和分享这些试验研究的经验。4）研究实践：我们将为政策制定者和临床实践工作者举办智库活动。这将侧重于我们如何确保这项研究影响自闭症患者的生活，包括我们如何最好地为苏格兰的这一人群开发临床服务。

Eating disorders (EDs) are serious mental health problems associated with poor quality of life and a wide range of psychological, social and medical complications. Rates of EDs are on the rise, with increasing numbers of people seeking treatment. Compared to other mental health conditions there is very little research into EDs, limiting our understanding of these conditions and our ability to develop new, effective treatments. Importantly, EDs commonly occur alongside other conditions and neurotypes (e.g., obesity and autism) and yet the majority of research on EDs is carried out without drawing on expertise and innovations from these other topic areas. There is a pressing need for new ED research, with wider and more diverse collaborations to make progress in this field. This proposal aims to increase ED research capacity by: 1) Facilitating collaborations across diverse academic disciplines with a specific target on researching EDs in autistic individuals. 2) Supporting the development of interdisciplinary research networks bridging academia, autistic peer researchers, the third sector, policy, clinicians and individuals with lived experience of ED. 3) Developing a series of networking, priority setting and research events that are firmly embedded in lived experience. 4) Increasing research capacity and career development via both early career researchers and peer researchers, supporting the next generation of ED researchers. 5) Developing a unique Scottish research collaboration that provides a key opportunity to develop and diversify ED research expertise across the UK. At the heart of this project will be a new interdisciplinary network hosted in Scotland that aims to use different methods and approaches to carry out collaborative research led by autistic people with lived experience of EDs. More specifically, we will develop four streams of work: 1) Coming Together: We will host collaborative events which bring together researchers, clinicians and autistic individuals with lived experience of EDs to exploring the ethical challenges and best practice approaches of research in this area. 2) Setting the Agenda: We will use an arts-based methodology called photovoice to allow autistic individuals with EDs to share their experiences and set the priorities for research in this area. This will involve an exhibition showcasing the images created by these participants.3) Testing the Approach: Researchers will come together to try out new approaches and collaborations based on the priority areas identified in the second work stream. We will carry out a series of interdisciplinary networking events to explore and share these learning from these trial studies.4) Research into Practice: We will host a think tank event for policy makers and those working in clinical practice. This will focus on how we can make sure this research impacts the lives of autistic people with EDs, including how we best to develop clinical services for this population in Scotland.