Putting on a disguise to fit in: A mixed methods study of experiences in autistic camouflaging
This publication is included in the Autistic Autism Scholarship Project. The publication reports one autistic author, without identifying them by name.
Jones, S., Sharpe, B. T., King, R., Waldeck, D., & Tyndall, I. (2025). Putting on a disguise to fit in: A mixed methods study of experiences in autistic camouflaging. Research in Neurodiversity, 1, 100004. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rin.2025.100004
This publication is integrated into AutiHub through:
Authors
Abstract
A 3:1 male-to-female autism diagnosis ratio may be partly explained by more prevalent camouflaging behaviours among females, which can mask autistic traits. Methods: This mixed-methods study examined gender differences in camouflaging among 110 autistic adults (aged 18–64) using the Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (CAT-Q) and explored lived experiences through interviews with eight participants (aged 18–37). Results: Quantitative results showed that females reported significantly higher total camouflaging scores than males, particularly in the compensation subtype, while differences in masking and assimilation were not significant. Thematic analysis of interviews identified four key overarching themes: camouflaging motivations and consequences, level of consciousness, affected identity, and experiences of support. Conclusions: Findings highlight the complex impact of camouflaging on daily life and its potential role in delayed diagnoses and mental health challenges. Further research should include diverse gender identities and a broader representation of the autism spectrum to inform better support and interventions.
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 14:09.
- With a DOI
- 60
- Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
- 7
- References with detected author names
- 66 / 68 (97.1%)
- Without detected author names
- 2
- Without a structured title
- 1
- Without a stable identifier
- 6
- References with raw author names still to review
- 1
- References with external metadata lookup issues
- 0
- From DOI or external metadata
- 227
- From validated raw bibliography text
- 0
- Raw names already validated
- 0
- Raw names still to review
- 1
-
Virgil Zeigler-Hill , Lisa L. M. Welling , Todd K. Shackelford (2015). Evolutionary Perspectives on Social Psychology . Springer International Publishing.OpenAlex
-
Alaghband-Rad (2023). Camouflage and masking behaviour in adult autism . Frontiers in Psychiatry, 14(14).Type: OtherCrossref
-
Valentina Petrolini , Marta Jorba , Agustín Vicente (2023). What does it take to be rigid? Reflections on the notion of rigidity in autism . Frontiers in Psychiatry, 14, 1072362-1072362. Frontiers Media SA.Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
(2010). Autism and Representation . Routledge.OpenAlex
-
González Moreno, Andrés Santiago (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders . American Psychiatric Association.Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
Rachel M Hiller , Robyn L Young , Nathan Weber (2016). Sex differences in pre-diagnosis concerns for children later diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder . Autism, 20(1), 75. SAGE Publications.Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
Virginia Braun , Victoria Clarke (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology . Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101. Informa UK Limited.OpenAlex
-
Sarah Bargiela , Robyn Steward *Autistic author. Learn more… , Will Mandy (2016). The Experiences of Late-diagnosed Women with Autism Spectrum Conditions: An Investigation of the Female Autism Phenotype . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 46(10), 3281-3294. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
-
Victoria Milner , Will Mandy , Francesca Happé , Emma Colvert (2023). Sex differences in predictors and outcomes of camouflaging: Comparing diagnosed autistic, high autistic trait and low autistic trait young adults . Autism, 27(2), 402. SAGE Publications.Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
Sander Begeer , DAVID S. MANDELL , Bernadette Wijnker-Holmes , Stance Venderbosch , Dorien Rem , Fred Stekelenburg et al. (2013). Sex Differences in the Timing of Identification Among Children and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 43(5), 1151-1156. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
Katharina Dworzynski , Angelica Ronald , Patrick Bolton , Francesca Happé (2012). How Different Are Girls and Boys Above and Below the Diagnostic Threshold for Autism Spectrum Disorders? Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 51(8), 788-797. Elsevier BV.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Ben Belek (2020). Autism as heredity, autism as heritage . Medicine Anthropology Theory, 7(1). Edinburgh University Library.Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
Grace Trundle , Katy A. Jones , Danielle Ropar , Vincent Egan (2023). Prevalence of Victimisation in Autistic Individuals: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis . Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 24(4), 2282-2296. SAGE Publications.Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
Oren Shtayermman (2009). An exploratory study of the stigma associated with a diagnosis of Asperger’s syndrome: The mental health impact on the adolescents and young adults diagnosed with a disability with a social nature . Journal of Human Behaviour in the Social Environment, 19(3), 298. Informa UK Limited.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Ben Belek (2023). ‘A Smaller Mask’: Freedom and Authenticity in Autistic Space . Culture, Medicine, and Psychiatry, 47(3), 626-646. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
Franz Faul , Edgar Erdfelder , Axel Buchner , Albert-Georg Lang (2009). Statistical power analyses using G*Power 3.1: Tests for correlation and regression analyses . Behavior Research Methods, 41(4), 1149-1160. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.OpenAlex
-
Yoav Benjamini , Yosef Hochberg (1995). Controlling the False Discovery Rate: A Practical and Powerful Approach to Multiple Testing . Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series B: Statistical Methodology, 57(1), 289-300. Oxford University Press (OUP).Crossref OpenCitations
-
Meng-Chuan Lai , Laura Hull , Will Mandy , Bhismadev Chakrabarti , Christine Wu Nordahl , Michael Lombardo et al. (2021). Commentary: ‘Camouflaging’ in autistic people – reflection on Fombonne (2020) . Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 62(8), 13344. Wiley.Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
Donna M. Werling , Daniel H. Geschwind (2013). Sex differences in autism spectrum disorders . Current Opinion in Neurology, 26(2), 146. Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health).Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
Courtney J. Bernardin , Erica Mason , Timothy Lewis , Stephen Kanne (2021). “You Must Become a Chameleon to Survive”: Adolescent Experiences of Camouflaging . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 51(12), 4422-4435. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
Eilidh Cage , Zoe Troxell-Whitman (2020). Understanding the relationships between autistic identity, disclosure, and camouflaging . Autism Adulthood, 2(4), 334-338. SAGE Publications.Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
Simon Baron-Cohen , Alan M. Leslie , Uta Frith (1985). Does the autistic child have a “theory of mind”? Cognition, 21(1), 37-46. Elsevier BV.OpenAlex
-
Gunnar Björnsson , Joshua Shepherd (2020). Determinism and attributions of consciousness . Philosophical Psychology, 33(4), 549-568. Informa UK Limited.Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
Concetta de Giambattista , Patrizia Ventura , Paolo Trerotoli , Francesco Margari , Lucia Margari (2021). Sex Differences in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Focus on High Functioning Children and Adolescents . Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12, 539835-539835. Frontiers Media SA.Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
Xiang Sun , Carrie T. Allison , Bonnie Auyeung , Simon Baron-Cohen , Carol Brayne (2014). Parental concerns, socioeconomic status, and the risk of autism spectrum conditions in a population-based study . Research in Developmental Disabilities, 35(12), 3678-3688. Elsevier BV.Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
(n.d.). Bleuler, E. (1911, 1950). Dementia praecox or the group of schizophrenias. (M. J. Zinkin, Trans.) International Universities Press, Inc.Type: OtherCrossref
-
Julia Cook , Laura Crane , Laura Hull , Laura Bourne , Will Mandy (2022). Self-reported camouflaging behaviours used by autistic adults during everyday social interactions . Autism, 26(2), 406-421. SAGE Publications.Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
Louise Bradley , Rebecca Shaw , Simon Baron-Cohen , Sarah Cassidy (2021). Autistic Adults' Experiences of Camouflaging and Its Perceived Impact on Mental Health . Autism in Adulthood, 3(4), 320-329. SAGE Publications.Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
Jennifer Jones , Kami L. Gallus , Kacey L. Viering , Lauren M. Oseland (2015). ‘Are you by chance on the spectrum?’ Adolescents with autism spectrum disorder making sense of their diagnoses . Disability & Society, 30(10), 1490-1504. Informa UK Limited.Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
Braun (2013). Successful qualitative research: A practical guide for beginners . Successful qualitative research: A practical guide for beginners.Type: OtherCrossref
-
Siobhan Tierney , Jan Burns , Elizabeth Kilbey (2016). Looking behind the mask: Social coping strategies of girls on the autistic spectrum . Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 23(Suppl. C), 73-83. Elsevier BV.Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
Andy P. Field (2018). Discovering Statistics Using IBM SPSS Statistics .Type: Book OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2249595199OpenAlex
-
Braun (2023). Doing reflexive thematic analysis .Type: OtherCrossref
-
Debbie Spain , Esra Zıvralı Yarar , Francesca Happé (2020). Social anxiety in adults with autism: a qualitative study . International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being, 15(1), 1803669. Informa UK Limited.Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
Virginia Braun , Victoria Clarke (2019). Reflecting on reflexive thematic analysis . Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, 11(4), 589-597. Informa UK Limited.Crossref OpenCitations
-
Anne G. Lever , Hilde M. Geurts (2016). Psychiatric Co-occurring Symptoms and Disorders in Young, Middle-Aged, and Older Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 46(6), 1916-1930. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
Virginia Braun , Victoria Clarke (2021). One size fits all? What counts as quality practice in (reflexive) thematic analysis? Qualitative Research in Psychology, 18(3), 328-352. Informa UK Limited.Crossref OpenCitations
-
Eilidh Cage , Zoe Troxell-Whitman (2019). Understanding the Reasons, Contexts and Costs of Camouflaging for Autistic Adults . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49(5), 1899-1911. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
Anna Cook , Jane Ogden , Naomi Winstone (2018). Friendship motivations, challenges and the role of masking for girls with autism in contrasting school settings . European Journal of Special Needs Education, 33(3), 302-315. Informa UK Limited.Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
Chantelle Wood , Megan Freeth (2016). Students’ Stereotypes of Autism . Journal of Educational Issues, 2(2), 131. Macrothink Institute, Inc..Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
Meng-Chuan Lai , Michael Lombardo , Amber Ruigrok , Bhismadev Chakrabarti , Bonnie Auyeung , Peter Szatmari et al. (2017). Quantifying and exploring camouflaging in men and women with autism . Autism, 21(6), 690-702. SAGE Publications.Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
Sarah Cassidy , Louise Bradley , Rebecca Shaw , Simon Baron-Cohen (2018). Risk markers for suicidality in autistic adults . Molecular Autism, 9(1), 42. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Michelle Dean , Robin Harwood , CONNIE KASARI (2017). The art of camouflage: Gender differences in the social behaviors of girls and boys with autism spectrum disorder . Autism, 21(6), 678-689. SAGE Publications.Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
Louise Chapman , Kieran Rose *Autistic author. Learn more… , Laura Hull , Will Mandy (2022). “I want to fit in… but I don’t want to change myself fundamentally”: A qualitative exploration of the relationship between masking and mental health for autistic teenagers . Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 99(102), 102069. Elsevier BV.
-
Julia Cook , Laura Hull , Laura Crane , Will Mandy (2021). Camouflaging in autism: A systematic review . Clinical Psychology Review, 89(102), 102080. Elsevier BV.Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
Rachel Loomes , Laura Hull , Will Mandy (2017). What Is the Male-to-Female Ratio in Autism Spectrum Disorder? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis . Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 56(6), 466-474. Elsevier BV.Crossref OpenAlex
-
Danielle Miller , Jon Rees , Amy Pearson *Autistic author. Learn more… (2021). “Masking Is Life”: Experiences of Masking in Autistic and Nonautistic Adults . Autism in Adulthood, 3(4), 330-338. SAGE Publications.
-
Laura Hull , K.V. Petrides , Carrie T. Allison , P. Smith , Simon Baron-Cohen , Meng-Chuan Lai et al. (2017). “Putting on My Best Normal”: Social Camouflaging in Adults with Autism Spectrum Conditions . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 47(8), 2519-2534. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
Victoria Milner , Emma Colvert , Will Mandy , Francesca Happé (2023). A comparison of self‐report and discrepancy measures of camouflaging: Exploring sex differences in diagnosed autistic versus high autistic trait young adults . Autism Research, 16(3), 580-590. Wiley.Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
Coultas (2015). Conformity: Definitions, types, and evolutionary grounding .Type: OtherCrossref
-
Ashleigh Hillier , Nicholas Gallop , Eva Mendes , Dylan Tellez , Abigail Buckingham , Afreen Nizami et al. (2020). LGBTQ + and autism spectrum disorder: Experiences and challenges . International Journal of Transgender Health, 21(1), 98-110. Informa UK Limited.Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
Laura Hull , Will Mandy , Meng-Chuan Lai , Simon Baron-Cohen , Carrie T. Allison , P. Smith et al. (2019). Development and Validation of the Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (CAT-Q) . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49(3), 819-833. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
Ivan Mirko Cremone , Barbara Carpita , Benedetta Nardi , Danila Casagrande , Rossella Stagnari , Giulia Amatori et al. (2023). Measuring Social Camouflaging in Individuals with High Functioning Autism: A Literature Review . Brain Sciences, 13(3), 469. MDPI AG.Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
María Tubío Fungueiriño , Sara Cruz , Adriana Sampaio , Angel Carracedo , Montse Fernández Prieto (2021). Social Camouflaging in Females with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 51(7), 2190-2199. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
Lucy A Livingston , Punit Shah , Francesca Happé (2019). Compensatory strategies below the behavioural surface in autism: a qualitative study . The Lancet Psychiatry, 6(9), 766-777. Elsevier BV.Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
Laura Hull , Will Mandy (2019). Camouflaging in Autism . Frontiers for Young Minds, 7. Frontiers Media SA.Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
David M. Frost (2011). Social Stigma and its Consequences for the Socially Stigmatized . Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 5(11), 824-839. Wiley.Crossref OpenCitations
-
Lucy A Livingston , Punit Shah , Victoria Milner , Francesca Happé (2020). Quantifying compensatory strategies in adults with and without diagnosed autism . Molecular Autism, 11(1), 1. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.OpenAlex
-
Camilla Gesi , Giovanni Migliarese , Sara Torriero , Martina Capellazzi , Anna Caterina Omboni , Giancarlo Cerveri et al. (2021). Gender Differences in Misdiagnosis and Delayed Diagnosis among Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder with No Language or Intellectual Disability . Brain Sciences, 11(7), 912. MDPI AG.Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
Henry Wood-Downie , Bonnie Wong , Hanna Kovshoff , Will Mandy , Laura Hull , Julie A. Hadwin (2021). Sex/Gender Differences in Camouflaging in Children and Adolescents with Autism . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 51(4), 1353-1364. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
Laura Hull , K.V. Petrides , Will Mandy (2020). The Female Autism Phenotype and Camouflaging: a Narrative Review . Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 7(4), 306-317. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
Nichole E. Scheerer , Hilary Aime , Troy Q. Boucher , Grace Iarocci (2020). The Association Between Self-Reported Camouflaging of Autistic Traits and Social Competence in Nonautistic Young Adults . Autism in Adulthood, 2(4), 298-306. SAGE Publications.Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
Robyn J. McQuaid , Sylvia M.L. Cox , Ayotola Ogunlana , Natalia Jaworska (2021). The burden of loneliness: Implications of the social determinants of health during COVID-19 . Psychiatry Research, 296, 113648. Elsevier BV.Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
Elizabeth M. Radulski (2022). Conceptualising Autistic Masking, Camouflaging, and Neurotypical Privilege: Towards a Minority Group Model of Neurodiversity . Human Development, 66(2), 113-127. S. Karger AG.Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
-
Courtney J Bernardin , Timothy Lewis , Debora Bell , Stephen Kanne (2021). Associations between social camouflaging and internalizing symptoms in autistic and non-autistic adolescents . Autism, 25(6), 1580-1591. SAGE Publications.OpenAlex
-
Murray (2010). Hollywood and the fascination of autism .Type: OtherCrossref
-
Felicity Sedgewick , Helen Ellis *Autistic author. Learn more… , Laura Hull (2021). Autism and masking: How and why people do it, and the impact it can have .Type: Book OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W3196490323Crossref OpenAlex
-
John Jamieson , Virginia Braun , Victoria Clarke (2014). Successful Qualitative Research: A practical guide for beginners . QMiP Bulletin, 1(18), 39-41. British Psychological Society.OpenAlex