To What Extent Do Camouflaging, Self-Compassion and Self-Concept Clarity Predict Psychological Well-Being in Late-Recognised Neurodivergent Adults?

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Quinlan, E., Kamenetsky, A., Emery, H., & Wilson, J. (2026). To What Extent Do Camouflaging, Self-Compassion and Self-Concept Clarity Predict Psychological Well-Being in Late-Recognised Neurodivergent Adults? Neurodiversity, 4, Article 27546330261489096. https://doi.org/10.1177/27546330261489096

Publication date: 1 Sep 2026 Added to AutiHub: 17 Oct 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
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Authors

Publication authors
4
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 4 (25.0%)
  1. Elly Quinlan *
  2. Alexandra Kamenetsky
  3. Holly Emery
  4. Jane Wilson

Abstract

Late recognition of autism and/or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can prompt substantial shifts in well-being, self-understanding and identity. This study examined whether camouflaging, self-compassion and self-concept clarity predicted psychological well-being in late-recognised neurodivergent adults. Australian adults who first recognised themselves after age 18 as autistic only, ADHD only or both autistic and ADHD, through either formal diagnosis or self-identification, completed an online survey assessing camouflaging, self-compassion, self-concept clarity and psychological well-being. The final sample comprised 680 adults, with regression analyses conducted using complete cases (n = 557). Bivariate correlations showed that higher camouflaging was associated with lower well-being, whereas higher self-compassion and self-concept clarity were associated with higher well-being. In hierarchical regression models, self-compassion was the strongest unique predictor of well-being. Self-concept clarity explained a small but significant additional proportion of variance beyond camouflaging and self-compassion. Camouflaging was associated with well-being, but its unique contribution was less robust after accounting for diagnostic group, gender and identification pathway. Findings suggest that well-being following late recognition may be shaped not only by camouflaging but also by self-compassion and the development of a coherent sense of self. Clinical and systemic responses should support identity integration, compassionate self-understanding and environments that reduce unnecessary pressure to camouflage.

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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: 23 Oct 2026 07:41.

Cited references
50
With a DOI
43
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
7
8 / 50 (16.0%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
2 / 50 (4.0%)
References with detected author names
48 / 50 (96.0%)
Without detected author names
2
Without a structured title
2
Without a stable identifier
7
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
184
From DOI or external metadata
184
From validated raw bibliography text
0
Raw names already validated
0
Raw names still to review
2
67 / 184 (36.4%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 117 / 184 (63.6%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
10 / 184 (5.4%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. Among names linked to an author already present in AutiHub: 10 / 67 (14.9%). Distinct people identified as autistic: 10 / 169 (5.9%).
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