Social Work Licensing Practice Exam 2025 - Free Social Work License Practice Questions and Study Guide

Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is characterized by a consistent pattern of avoiding certain foods or types of food, resulting in significant nutritional deficiencies and often requiring medical intervention. One of the key elements of ARFID is that individuals may become dependent on enteral feeding or supplementation to meet their nutritional needs, particularly if their restrictive eating leads to severe weight loss or inadequate intake of essential nutrients. This dependency typically occurs when individuals are unable to consume a sufficient variety of foods or enough calories through oral intake alone, which is a hallmark of ARFID.

In contrast, the other options relate to different disorders or behaviors not typically associated with ARFID. For example, repeated attempts to stop skin picking aligns more closely with Body-Focused Repetitive Behavior Disorders, while episodes of regurgitation of food are characteristic of Rumination Disorder. Furthermore, the behavior of eating high-calorie food followed by purging is indicative of Bulimia Nervosa, rather than ARFID. Hence, the correct answer highlights a significant aspect of ARFID that distinguishes it from other eating disorders.