January 27, 2021

January 27, 2021

Social Camouflage In Autism
 Camouflage - definition

Use of a variety of materials for concealment or

to disguise an object as something else.

Familiar as a military term.

 What Is Camouflage in Autism?
- Acting in a manner expected by the societal context or convention,
rather than acting truly felt, natural behavior.
- Discrepancy between how the person presents themselves (observable)
and their inner feelings.
- Like putting on a mask on one’s behaviors.
Masking
 Examples of camouflage
 Having difficulty looking directly at the other person? Focus on another
facial feature – nose, between the eyes.
 Joining the group’s laughter at a joke, even when not finding the joke
funny.
 To makeup for difficulty in starting or engaging conversation, using a
prepared script.
 When experiencing uncontrolled leg movements, because of
restlessness, such as when feeling fidgety, consciously controlling leg
movement.
 Relation to Autism
A coping strategy more frequently seen among autistic persons than
neurotypical persons.
 Can be practiced unconsciously or purposefully.

 Can be practiced by neurotypicals.

 Not an intrinsic part of autism.
 Demographics
Among autistics, more common in females than males.
 Among neurotypicals, frequency is similar in females and males.
 Can present and begin in childhood.
 Can be sustained into adult years.
 Why camouflaging occurs
 Trying to stop behaviors the person considers
unacceptable or strange to others in a particular context.
 Trying to act “normal”.
 Wanting to present with a good image.
 A desire to fit in, to be accepted, to assimilate in the
neurotypical world. School, work, friends.
 Wanting to feel safe from anticipated or previously
experienced negative reactions, such as bullying, when
their autism is revealed.
 Costs of camouflage in autism
Emotionally and physically exhausting. Can lead to
anxiety and other psychological disorders.
Because it hides particular characteristics or facets of
the person’s makeup, it prevents intimate, honest
relationships.
 Diagnostically, it delays recognition of an underlying
disorder, frequently, autism.
Prevents or delays appropriate adjustments, solutions,
or treatments.
 How camouflaging occurs in autism
Camouflaging is an interaction between the person and the interaction
with the social context.
Neurobiological and neuropsychological causes are possible.
Sex differences in neurobiology of autism and sex differences in societal
demands from men and women could explain greater frequency of
camouflage in women.
 Benefits of Camouflaging
Acceptance in the neurotypical world
May enable the autistic person to “pass” in the neurotypical world.
Having friends in school
Functioning and gaining success at work.
A protective strategy – avoid stigmatization and bullying
 Costs of Camouflaging
Emotionally exhausting
Physically exhausting
High rate of anxiety and eating disorders
When unconscious camouflaging occurs, as in children, they cannot
report it
Problems in autism assessment
Delayed recognition of autism disorder.
Is camouflaging an effective compensating strategy?

Ongoing use of camouflaging has benefits as well as

costs.
Could gain acceptance in the person’s functional
environment. Fulfilling demands of particular social
context.
Exacts costs – emotionally and physically exhausting,.
Provokes anxiety and other negative mental health
responses,
If it muddles recognition of autism, it delays help.
 Timeline

Can start in childhood, continue through adult years,

But the balance of benefits and costs could limit the timing or duration of
the person’s ability to sustain camouflage responses.
 Benefits of no longer practicing camouflage
-Recognition of autistic disorder, validates the person’s likely questions
about their psychological states.
- Relief!
- Good feeling of liberation from exerting energies and other resources to
practice camouflage.
- Appropriate responses and intervention to the autistic disorder and
consequences, such as treatment can be applied.
- Being upfront when interacting with neurotypicals can promote
awareness, acceptance and adaptation the autism, as could occur, for
example, in the work setting.
 Briefly,
Camouflage is one of several coping and adaptive strategies practiced
frequently by vulnerable persons.

The motive is to gain acceptance and/or to avoid negative reactions such as

embarrassment, rejection, physical harm (bullying).
Carries benefits and costs.
Can have limits over time.
Can be stopped, leading to validation of the underlying psychological state.
Feelings of liberation!
 Stopping camouflage
There could be a time limit to the ability to sustain camouflage behaviors.
Camouflage can be a hindrance to recognizing the underlying disorder, in
many cases, possibly autism.
Validation and confirmation of autism, perhaps long suspected, can be
liberating.
Benefits to neurotypical world will ensue. Greater awareness, acceptance,
and adaptation to autistic ways by neurotypicals as well as the autistic
person.
References:
Covey, L. – “Social Camouflage in Autism”, Association for Adults with
Autism Philippines Website, February 2019
https://www.spectrumnews.org/features/deep-dive/costs-camouflaging-
autism/amp
Hull L, Petrides, KV, Allison C, Smith P, et al. “Putting on My Best Normal
Social Camouflaging in Adults with Autism Spectrum Conditions, 
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, August 2017, Volume
47, Issue 8, pp 2519–2534
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