Preliminary Exploration of the Usability of a Structured Plate to Improve Eating Behaviors in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Its Impact on the Family: A Pilot Study

This pilot interventional study is designed to examine the usability, feasibility, and preliminary effects of a structured compartment plate used during school lunchtime in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) who present significant feeding difficulties. Feeding problems in children with ASD are often multifactorial and may involve sensory processing differences, food selectivity, behavioral challenges during meals, and difficulties with mealtime routines, all of which may affect eating participation and family well-being. The study will use a single-group pre-post design conducted in a special education school setting. Following baseline assessment, participants will use the structured plate during individual lunchtime sessions three times per week over a two-month period under the supervision of an occupational therapist with experience in feeding intervention. The plate is designed to provide visual organization of food portions through 10 separate compartments. Food is presented in small, clearly delimited portions, and each compartment is covered after completion in order to reduce visual overload and support attention, sequencing, and engagement during the meal. The evaluation strategy combines caregiver-reported and observational data. Standardized assessments will be administered at baseline and post-intervention to examine changes in feeding difficulties and in the psychosocial impact of the child's feeding on the family. In addition, repeated structured observations during intervention sessions will document behavioral indicators related to mealtime organization, sustained attention, impulse control, flexibility, emotional regulation, autonomy in feeding, acceptance of novel foods, and food selectivity. Given the exploratory nature of this pilot study and the small sample size, analyses will focus on usability and feasibility indicators, as well as preliminary pre-post change patterns using descriptive, visual, and nonparametric methods. Findings are intended to support refinement of study procedures and to inform the design of future controlled studies.