“Masking Is Life”: Experiences of Masking in Autistic and Nonautistic Adults

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Miller, D., Rees, J., & Pearson, A. (2021). “Masking Is Life”: Experiences of Masking in Autistic and Nonautistic Adults. Autism in Adulthood, 3(4), 330-338. https://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2020.0083

Publication date: 17 May 2021 Added to AutiHub: 6 Jul 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
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Authors

Publication authors
3
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 3 (33.3%)
  1. Danielle Miller
  2. Jon Rees
  3. Amy Pearson *

Abstract

Background: Autistic masking is an emerging research area, and so far, research has suggested that masking has a negative effect on autistic people. Masking relates to general social practices (such as identity management) and is often driven by stigma avoidance. Many nonautistic people also experience stigma that might drive them to suppress aspects of their identity. In this study, we investigate similarities and differences in experiences of masking in autistic and nonautistic people. Methods: We conducted an online survey about experiences and views of masking in autistic people (n = 144), neurodivergent people without an autism diagnosis (n = 49), and neurotypical people (n = 45) recruited via social media. We used thematic analysis to analyze responses to open-ended items about masking, using an inductive approach, at a semantic level, with a critical realist paradigm. Results: Thematic analysis revealed that some aspects of masking are shared across autistic and nonautistic people, such as utilizing mimicry of others as a social strategy or feeling exhausted from masking. All groups reported that masking made them feel disconnected from their true sense of identity and had a negative effect on them. Other aspects of masking seemed more specific to autistic people, such as sensory suppression, and masking leading to suicidal ideation. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that many aspects of masking are experienced across different neurotypes and are likely related to outside perceptions of difference and stigma. It is likely that what we call “autistic masking” is similar to other forms of stigma management previously theorized. Some aspects of masking do seem more specific to the autistic neurotype (e.g., suppression of stimming) and should be explored further to provide support for autistic people recovering from the negative impact of masking.

Bibliography cited by this reference

Cited references are imported from external metadata sources when they are available. The list may be partial.

Cited bibliography overview

These indicators describe the bibliography cited by this publication. An author name is counted each time it appears in one cited reference, so the same person can be counted more than once. Names not yet linked to an author already present in AutiHub are treated as unknown, not as non-autistic. Last computed: 2 Oct 2026 16:12.

Cited references
57
With a DOI
42
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
14
11 / 57 (19.3%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
3 / 57 (5.3%)
References with detected author names
54 / 57 (94.7%)
Without detected author names
3
Without a structured title
2
Without a stable identifier
14
References with raw author names still to review
2
References with external metadata lookup issues
0
These indicators apply to cited references displayed on this page, after technical duplicates have been merged. A reference without a DOI can still support author statistics when a title and author names are available.
Author names detected in the cited bibliography
165
From DOI or external metadata
165
From validated raw bibliography text
0
Raw names already validated
0
Raw names still to review
2
102 / 165 (61.8%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 63 / 165 (38.2%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
15 / 165 (9.1%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. Among names linked to an author already present in AutiHub: 15 / 102 (14.7%). Distinct people identified as autistic: 12 / 117 (10.3%).
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