Survey - Neurodivergence and Eating Disorders

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SURVEY INTRODUCTION

We know that neurodivergent people are at higher risk of developing an eating disorder and often experience them differently to neurotypical people. We also recognise that neurodivergent people experience various challenges and barriers to accessing and benefiting from eating disorder treatment. In this survey, we would like to hear from:

  • People who have experienced an eating disorder and identify as neurodivergent
  • Anyone who has supported a neurodivergent person with an eating disorder
Neurodivergence can include (but is not limited to): ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), Autism (including Asperger's Syndrome), Specific Learning Difficulties (such as Dyslexia, Dyspraxia/DCD, and Dyscalculia), Learning/Intellectual Disabilities, Tourette’s syndrome/tic disorders, or a combination of these.

A diagnosis is not necessary to complete this survey.

This survey is a mixture of multiple choice and descriptive questions. It can be completed in around 10 minutes. However, please take as long as you need to respond to each answer. You may save your progress and return to the survey at any time. 

 

Some of the questions will ask you to reflect on your experiences and detail your experience of seeking support. This might be distressing or upsetting for you. We would recommend that you only complete the survey if you feel comfortable and well enough right now to do so.


 This survey will be used to help develop Eating Disorders Awareness Week 2027 - Neurodivergence and Eating Disorders.

 

The survey will be open until 9am, Monday 27th July 2026.

 

Data protection

 

Anonymised results will help us raise awareness of eating disorders and challenge current approaches to eating disorder support. The survey findings may also be used in our work to improve understanding and experiences related to neurodivergence and eating disorders. Beat's Privacy Statement explains how we ensure that any personal data we obtain is stored and processed fairly and lawfully.

 

Support

 

If you need emotional support, you can call the Beat Helpline on 0808 801 0677, or you can get in touch with a Beat advisor via email or webchat. The helpline is open 3pm to 8pm Monday to Friday. Beat offers support and information to people with eating disorders, those who support them and professionals. For details of Beat's Helpline and other support services, please go to our website.

 

For crisis support, the Samaritans telephone helpline at 116123. You can also text

SHOUT on 85258. Both services are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

QUESTIONS



If you would be happy to be contacted to discuss and share your experiences in more detail, please enter your name, email address and/or phone number in the text box below. Sharing your story in more detail could still be done anonymously with no identifying details.



Before moving on to answer the survey questions, please remember:

  • You can skip any question by selecting ‘Prefer not to say’

  • If you are unsure, you can select ‘Not sure’ where available
  • There are no right or wrong answers, only your experience
  • You don’t need to remember everything perfectly or in lots of detail, please answer as best you can based on your general experience.
  • While we aim to be respectful and inclusive throughout, we recognise that people have different preferences when it comes to language they want to use about themselves.
  • There will be opportunity to share different parts of your experience as you go through the survey.

ABOUT YOU



NEURODIVERGENCE






NEURODIVERGENCE OF THE PERSON YOU SUPPORTED






EATING DISORDER EXPERIENCE







EATING DISORDER EXPERIENCE







ACCESS TO SUPPORT





ACCESS TO SUPPORT





TREATMENT EXPERIENCE


Inpatient: you are admitted to hospital and stay there overnight or for multiple days. Outpatient: you attend hospital or a clinic for specific appointments/treatment. You leave the same day. Day patient: You attend hospital for an intensive daytime therapeutic programme or planned procedure. You have your own space (e.g., a bed or room), but you will return home to sleep. Home-based treatment: You are treated at home.


Very positive Somewhat positive Neutral Negative Very Negative Not sure Prefer not to say Not applicable



As a reminder, the stages were:
• First point of contact e.g., trying to get a GP appointment • Contact with GP • Accessing support outside of GP (e.g., self-referral, charity support) • Referral to eating disorder services • Assessment process • Waiting for treatment • Whilst receiving treatment • Transitioning between services • After treatment / discharge



This could include any adjustments made without a formal diagnosis, or ways services adapted to your needs.



TREATMENT EXPERIENCE


Inpatient: you are admitted to hospital and stay there overnight or for multiple days. Outpatient: you attend hospital or a clinic for specific appointments/treatment. You leave the same day. Day patient: You attend hospital for an intensive daytime therapeutic programme or planned procedure. You have your own space (e.g., a bed or room), but you will return home to sleep. Home-based treatment: You are treated at home.


Very positive Somewhat positive Neutral Negative Very Negative Not sure Prefer not to say Not applicable



As a reminder, the stages were:
• First point of contact e.g., trying to get a GP appointment • Contact with GP • Accessing support outside of GP (e.g., self-referral, charity support) • Referral to eating disorder services • Assessment process • Waiting for treatment • Whilst receiving treatment • Transitioning between services • After treatment / discharge





If they haven’t currently received support or treatment, please answer this question based on what you feel would make it harder. Please select any that apply.

DIAGNOSIS TIMING






(The following questions will ask more about your treatment experience)

DIAGNOSIS TIMING






BARRIERS & IMPROVEMENTS





BARRIERS





NEURODIVERGENCE & EATING DISORDERS




This could include friends, family members, employers, teachers, healthcare professionals, or the wider public




THE INTERACTION BETWEEN NEURODIVERGENCE AND EATING DISORDERS








REFLECTION AND RECOVERY

The final questions ask for any additional thoughts you may have.


These are open questions where you can share anything you feel is important that has not already been covered.


You can answer briefly or in more detail - whatever feels right for you.




(This space is for anything important that has not already been covered)

REFLECTION & RECOVERY

The following questions ask for any additional thoughts you may have.

These are open questions where you can share anything you feel is important that has not already been covered. You can answer briefly or in more detail - whatever feels right for you.



YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A CARER







OPTIONAL DEMOGRAPHICS

We collect this data to help us understand if we are reaching diverse groups of people with our support. All of the questions are optional.

Thank you for helping us improve this area of our work.


















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