Introduction to a special issue on child and adolescent feeding and eating disorders and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder.

OBJECTIVE

We are very pleased to introduce a special issue of the International Journal of Eating Disorders on child and adolescent feeding and eating disorders and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID).

METHOD: Contributions focused on five main themes: (1) the definition and assessment of ARFID; (2) the clinical phenomenology of ARFID; (3) similarities and differences between ARFID and anorexia nervosa (AN); (4) novel treatments for ARFID; and (5) new ideas for improving treatment outcomes in AN.

RESULTS

These papers highlight the importance of clear operationalization and measurement of the ARFID diagnostic criteria. ARFID phenotypes bear both similarities and important differences in clinical profile, course, and outcome from AN. Findings suggest the utility of adapting existing treatments for restrictive eating disorders to apply to ARFID and engender clinical creativity to move beyond existing treatments and develop novel interventions that address the heterogeneity of ARFID. Furthermore, burgeoning understanding of ARFID offers the potential that novel treatments for ARFID may also be applied to improve outcomes for AN.

DISCUSSION: This collection of papers features child and adolescent feeding and eating disorder patient groups that have been understudied and we hope that this catalyzes clinical research in these important presentations.