Validation of the chemosensory pleasure scale for kids (CPS-K) and its mediating role in the relationship between autistic traits and eating behaviors

Children with autistic traits in clinical or non-clinical populations are vulnerable to chemosensory anhedonia and unusual eating behaviors. However, few studies have explored the relationship between the three. Thus, in the current study, we first validated the Chemosensory Pleasure Scale for kids (CPS-K) from a population of preschool children and then investigated the potential role of chemosensory hedonic capacity as a mediator of the relationship between autistic traits and eating behaviors. A total of 305 preschool children and their parents participated in the study. The results showed that CPS-K had good reliability (internal consistency and test-retest stability) and validity, confirming it as a suitable tool to assess the hedonic capacity to enjoy smells and tastes. Moreover, the mediation models were tested using the bias-corrected bootstrap method and the results indicated that the relationship between autistic traits and enjoyment of food was mediated by chemosensory hedonic capacity, especially the ability to experience pleasure while eating, while the relationship between autistic traits and food fussiness was mediated by the ability to experience pleasure while eating. In conclusion, children with high autistic traits reported unusual eating behaviors (loss of enjoyment of food and food fussiness), which were associated with decreased chemosensory hedonic capacity.