Masking as a Cumulative Regulatory Process in Education: A Thematic Analysis of Autistic Pupils’ School Experiences
This publication is included in the Autistic Autism Scholarship Project. one author of this publication is identified as autistic in the project.
About the autistic author markerWheeler, M. (2026). Masking as a Cumulative Regulatory Process in Education: A Thematic Analysis of Autistic Pupils’ School Experiences [Preprint]. Center for Open Science. https://doi.org/10.35542/osf.io/9epr2_v1
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Abstract
Educational systems frequently rely on observable behaviour to evaluate pupil functioning; however, for autistic pupils, masking can produce an appearance of competence while concealing substantial underlying difficulty. Although masking has been associated with psychological distress and delayed identification, less is known about how it develops within school contexts. This study examined 25 psycho-educational consultation cases involving autistic pupils aged 9–13 years, using codebook thematic analysis of multi-informant narratives across home and school settings. The findings indicate that masking operates as a cumulative regulatory process, whereby pupils sustain classroom participation through adaptive social performance alongside ongoing cognitive and emotional regulation that often remains unrecognised by educators. Distress is frequently displaced to non-school contexts, contributing to delayed recognition of need. The study conceptualises masking as a developmentally embedded process shaped by educational systems and highlights the importance of multi-contextual assessment, as well as greater attention to the sustainability of pupil participation.
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