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A meta-analysis of links between autistic traits and camouflaging found that individuals with more pronounced autistic traits tend to engage more in camouflaging, which involves trying to act socially typical and hide their autistic traits. This association was weaker in people diagnosed with autism. The paper was published in Autism.
Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by differences in social communication, patterns of behavior, sensory processing, and focused interests. It is often referred to as the autism spectrum because autistic traits vary considerably between individuals and may affect daily functioning in different ways. Some autistic people experience difficulty interpreting social cues, adapting to unspoken social rules, or responding in ways that others expect.
Because showing autistic traits in interactions with other people may lead to being misunderstood, rejected, bullied, or discriminated against, autistic individuals often attempt to conceal them during social interactions. This process is known as camouflaging.
Camouflaging includes copying other people’s gestures, facial expressions, tone of voice, or conversational behavior. Individuals may also rehearse social scripts, force eye contact, suppress repetitive movements, or avoid discussing highly focused interests. These strategies may help an autistic person appear socially typical and function more easily in certain social environments. However, sustained camouflaging requires considerable concentration and may contribute to exhaustion, anxiety, stress, and a reduced sense of identity.
Lachlan Greig and colleagues wanted to quantify the relationship between autistic traits and camouflaging. They hypothesized that people with more pronounced autistic traits would engage more in camouflaging, but also that this relationship might depend on the gender and mental health of the person. More specifically, they hypothesized that the link between autistic traits and camouflaging would be stronger in women.
These researchers conducted a meta-analysis. They performed a systematic search of scientific databases looking for records using search terms related to autism, autistic traits, and camouflaging. They were looking for studies reporting on the links between autistic traits and camouflaging.
After screening more than 2,000 records found in these databases and inspecting the full texts of about 620 articles, they found 50 scientific papers that contained the data they were looking for. In total, these papers reported results from 51 studies, conducted on 112 unique samples and including 16,895 participants. About 39% of all samples were from the United Kingdom and 14% were from the United States, while the rest were from a variety of other countries.
Results showed that individuals with more pronounced autistic traits tended to engage more in camouflaging. The strength of this association was similar for men and women. Age also did not change the relationship, suggesting that the link between autistic traits and camouflaging remains stable across the lifespan.
The association between autistic traits and camouflaging was stronger in samples from the general population than in samples comprised of individuals formally diagnosed with autism. People not diagnosed with autism can have varying levels of autistic traits, and general population samples can also include some undiagnosed individuals.
The strength of the link also depended heavily on how autism and camouflaging were measured. Notably, the relationship between autistic traits and camouflaging was only present when autistic traits were measured through self-report questionnaires. The link disappeared when autistic traits were measured through observation by a professional.
The strength of the association did not depend on generalized anxiety or social anxiety. It did depend on depression symptoms, but the researchers noted that this relationship was nuanced and requires further study.
Looking into specific aspects of camouflaging, results indicated that autistic traits are most strongly linked to behaviors that help people assimilate, or fit in and appear socially typical. This was followed by strategies to compensate for social differences. The relationship was weakest with activities directly aimed at hiding autistic traits.
“Clinicians must be aware of the potential for camouflaging to disrupt the diagnostic process, and campaigns that aim to reduce stereotypes of autism and promote acceptance of neurodiversity may help to reduce the stigma that drives camouflaging,” the study authors concluded.
The study contributes to the systematization of scientific knowledge on autism. However, the study authors note that samples included in this meta-analysis frequently had limited age and ethnic diversity, which constrains the generalizability of these findings.
The paper “Autistic Traits and Camouflaging: A Meta-Analysis” was authored by Lachlan Greig, Sarah P. Coundouris, and Julie D. Henry.