Understanding the Reasons, Contexts and Costs of Camouflaging for Autistic Adults

• Published in: Journal of autism and developmental disorders Vol. 49; no. 5; pp. 1899 - 1911
• Main Authors: Cage, Eilidh, Troxell-Whitman, Zoe
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.05.2019; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Academic Achievement; Adult; Adults; Autism; Autistic adults; Autistic Disorder - psychology; Autistic persons; Behavior; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Child and School Psychology; Deception; Depression (Psychology); Expectation; Family Environment; Female; Females; Friendship; Gender Differences; Health aspects; Health care expenditures; Humans; Male; Masking; Mental disorders; Mental Health; Middle Aged; Neurosciences; Original Paper; Pediatrics; Psychological aspects; Psychology; Public Health; Risk factors; Sensory Experience; Sex Factors; Social aspects; Social Behavior; Social situations; Social skills; Success; Symptoms (Individual Disorders); Understanding; Well Being; Work Environment; Wellbeing; Autistic adults; Gender differences; Camouflaging; Mental health
• ISSN: 0162-3257; 1573-3432; 1573-3432
• DOI: 10.1007/s10803-018-03878-x

Camouflaging entails ‘masking’ in or ‘passing’ social situations. Research suggests camouflaging behaviours are common in autistic people, and may negatively impact mental health. To enhance understanding of camouflaging, this study examined reasons, contexts and costs of camouflaging. 262 autistic people completed measures of camouflaging behaviours, camouflaging contexts (e.g. work vs. family), camouflaging reasons (e.g. to make friends) and mental health symptoms. Findings indicated a gender difference in reasons for camouflaging, with autistic women more likely to endorse “conventional” reasons (e.g. getting by in formal settings such as work). Both camouflaging highly across contexts and ‘switching’ between camouflaging in some contexts but not in others, related to poorer mental health. These findings have implications for understanding camouflaging in autistic adults.