Camouflaging Behaviours Used by Autistic Adults During Everyday Social Interactions

Cook, Jennifer; Crane, Laura; Hull, Laura; Bourne, Laura; Mandy, William

doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-96362/v1

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 77 publications

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“…Social camouflaging also encompasses compensatory behaviour, whereby autistic people develop behavioural repertoires to help them manage social situations. Common examples of compensatory behaviours include learning how to use specific non-verbal social behaviours, such as eye contact, and developing scripts that can be employed to navigate interactions [34,35]. Social camouflaging is a widespread element of the lived experiences of autistic people, especially among those who are female [36] and those who have intelligence in the average range or above [37].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is social camouflaging associated with anxiety and depression in autistic adults?

et al. 2021

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Background There is inconsistent evidence for a clear pattern of association between ‘camouflaging’ (strategies used to mask and/or compensate for autism characteristics during social interactions) and mental health. Methods This study explored the relationship between self-reported camouflaging and generalised anxiety, depression, and social anxiety in a large sample of autistic adults and, for the first time, explored the moderating effect of gender, in an online survey. Results Overall, camouflaging was associated with greater symptoms of generalised anxiety, depression, and social anxiety, although only to a small extent beyond the contribution of autistic traits and age. Camouflaging more strongly predicted generalised and social anxiety than depression. No interaction between camouflaging and gender was found. Limitations These results cannot be generalised to autistic people with intellectual disability, or autistic children and young people. The sample did not include sufficient numbers of non-binary people to run separate analyses; therefore, it is possible that camouflaging impacts mental health differently in this population. Conclusions The findings suggest that camouflaging is a risk factor for mental health problems in autistic adults without intellectual disability, regardless of gender. We also identified levels of camouflaging at which risk of mental health problems is highest, suggesting clinicians should be particularly aware of mental health problems in those who score at or above these levels.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is social camouflaging associated with anxiety and depression in autistic adults?

et al. 2021

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“…As described elsewhere (see Cook et al, 2020 ), participants described engaging in four main subtypes of camouflaging behaviours: masking, innocuous engagement, modelling neurotypical communication and active self-presentation. Masking behaviours concealed information about personal characteristics or circumstances and/or suppressed innate/autistic behaviours (e.g.…”

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confidence: 99%

Camouflaging in an everyday social context: An interpersonal recall study

Cook

Crane

Bourne

et al. 2021

Autism

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Camouflaging is a social phenomenon operating within everyday social interactions of autistic and non-autistic people. The current study explored autistic adults’ camouflaging in an everyday social context via interpersonal process recall methodology (Kegan, 1969). A total of 17 autistic adults (8 females, 6 males and 3 agender/gender-neutral individuals) participated in a 10-min controlled social task designed to replicate a common day-to-day social situation. Participants then watched a video of their interaction with a researcher, actively identifying instances of camouflaging and discussing their experiences of camouflaging. Using thematic analysis, four themes were generated: (1) a strong desire for, yet uncertainty in, securing social acceptance and connection; (2) camouflaging, developed over time, as a means to achieve social acceptance and connection; (3) experiencing intrapersonal and interpersonal camouflaging consequences during social interactions; and (4) authentic socialising as an alternative to camouflaging. These findings are discussed with reference to the existing literature on stigma management outside the field of autism. Lay abstract Many autistic people report that, despite personal costs, they use strategies to hide their autistic characteristics or appear non-autistic at work, school or university, when speaking with health professionals, or while socialising with certain friends and family members. These strategies are often referred to as camouflaging. This study explores camouflaging during everyday social interactions. A total of 17 autistic adults were filmed taking part in a common everyday social situation – a conversation with a stranger. They then watched the video of this conversation with a researcher and answered questions about camouflaging. These autistic people told us that they (1) had a strong desire to socialise with and be valued by other people but, because of negative past experiences, they often felt unsure about their ability to do so; (2) used camouflaging to help them to socialise and be valued by others; (3) experienced negative consequences when camouflaging (e.g. fatigue, anxiety and difficulties in friendships); and (4) sometimes socialised in more autistic ways instead of camouflaging. This study shows us how autistic people often change their behaviour because of the way they are treated by nonautistic people and that autistic people may benefit from programmes that help them to socialise in more authentically autistic ways, but only if their autistic social behaviour is met with understanding and acceptance from non-autistic people.

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“…The final recommendation for research was to improve our understanding of female autism and to develop or adapt tools to examine the aspects of autism that may be more prevalent in women than men. Camouflaging, 'a dynamic process by which autistic individuals modify their innate autistic social behaviour in order to adapt, cope within, and influence the predominantly neurotypical environment' 20 , has been increasingly documented, particularly in autistic women. It may be a factor in the under-recognition of autism in women.…”

Section: Prevalence and Demographics Of Autistic Women Experiencing H...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Homelessness in autistic women: Defining the research agenda

Estrin

Aseervatham

Barros

et al. 2022

Womens Health (Lond Engl)

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Background: Current evidence suggests that autistic individuals are at high risk for becoming and remaining in a cycle of homelessness. Key risk factors for homelessness disproportionately affect autistic people; however, we have limited understanding of how to best support autistic individuals accessing services. This gap in the evidence base is particularly acute for autistic women. Objective: As a first step to address this gap, we aimed to (1) map gaps in knowledge and practice; (2) identify priority areas for research and (3) develop recommendations for how to implement novel research and practice in this area. Methods: We conducted a collaborative workshop with an interdisciplinary group of 26 stakeholders to address our aims. Stakeholders included autistic women with experience of homelessness, researchers, health professionals, NGO representatives, and service providers. Results and recommendations: Two research priority areas were identified to map the prevalence and demographics of autistic women experiencing homelessness, and to delineate risk and protective factors for homelessness. Priority areas for improving provision of support included staff training to improve communication, awareness of autism and building trust with service providers, and recommendations for practical provision of support by services. Conclusions: Future research is critical to increase our knowledge of the pathways leading to homelessness for autistic women, and barriers to engaging with homelessness and social services. We need to use this knowledge to develop new ways of delivering targeted and inclusive support for autistic women, which could prevent or shorten periods of homelessness.

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Camouflaging Behaviours Used by Autistic Adults During Everyday Social Interactions

Cited by 5 publications

References 77 publications

Is social camouflaging associated with anxiety and depression in autistic adults?

Is social camouflaging associated with anxiety and depression in autistic adults?

Camouflaging in an everyday social context: An interpersonal recall study

Homelessness in autistic women: Defining the research agenda

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