Simulative and dissimulative masking: Resolving how educational practice that protects neurodivergent people from harm can suppress learning

This publication is included in the Autistic Autism Scholarship Project. one author of this publication is identified as autistic in the project.

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Grant, S., Fero, K., & Grant, A. (2025). Simulative and dissimulative masking: Resolving how educational practice that protects neurodivergent people from harm can suppress learning. British Journal of Special Education, 53(1), 5-17. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8578.70066

Publication date: 17 Nov 2025 Added to AutiHub: 21 Oct 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
Publisher source (DOI) Full text OpenAlex source

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Authors

Publication authors
3
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 3 (33.3%)
  1. Sam Grant *
  2. Ken Fero
  3. Annelise Grant

Abstract

Abstract The issue of how best to support neurodivergent learners with high need in educational settings has received much attention, with many questioning how an individual can be safeguarded while maintaining their autonomy. Using Participatory Action Research (PAR), the authors draw on the experiences of neurodivergent learners, and their families, to examine the phenomena of restrictive practices and masking. This approach has been influenced by the lead author's own autism diagnosis, and how this impacted their educational experience. Two aspects of masking are presented: dissimulative (suppression of neurodivergent behaviours) and simulative (performance of accepted behaviours). The article describes a process where neurodivergent learners in a hostile environment learn to regulate and restrict their own behaviours, often without the provision noticing their distress and continuing to deliver inappropriate support, while misattributing blame to parents. This self‐imposed mode of restraint is termed ‘internalised restraint’. Through understanding the nuances in neurodivergent behaviours of distress, educators can create a learning environment better suited to all.

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: 23 Oct 2026 01:01.

Cited references
27
With a DOI
17
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
10
4 / 27 (14.8%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
7 / 27 (25.9%)
References with detected author names
20 / 27 (74.1%)
Without detected author names
7
Without a structured title
7
Without a stable identifier
10
References with raw author names still to review
5
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
52
From DOI or external metadata
52
From validated raw bibliography text
0
Raw names already validated
0
Raw names still to review
5
26 / 52 (50.0%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 26 / 52 (50.0%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
6 / 52 (11.5%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. Among names linked to an author already present in AutiHub: 6 / 26 (23.1%). Distinct people identified as autistic: 4 / 49 (8.2%).
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