Consolidating a Framework of Autistic Camouflaging Strategies: An Integrative Systematic Review
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| Title: | Consolidating a Framework of Autistic Camouflaging Strategies: An Integrative Systematic Review |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Jacques Nel (ORCID |
| Source: | Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice. 2025 29(10):2379-2394. |
| Availability: | SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 16 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Information Analyses |
| Descriptors: | Literature Reviews, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Imitation, Adults, Social Cognition, Role Perception, Social Behavior, Theory of Mind |
| DOI: | 10.1177/13623613251335472 |
| ISSN: | 1362-3613 1461-7005 |
| Abstract: | Autistic 'social camouflaging' research is proliferating. However, the term is multi-definitional. Our integrative systematic review (CRD42022324957) pursued a single-framework, qualitative meta-synthesis of camouflaging in autistic adults. We report specifically on different types of camouflaging strategies and the contextual factors that moderate them. A total of 2346 articles were extracted from online databases, 'Connected Papers' and citation searching -- reflecting qualitative data from diagnostically confirmed, or self-identifying, autistic individuals. The results of 28 studies were coded and thematically synthesised, and included 2669 men, women and non-binary individuals above the age of 16. We noted six types of strategies and four contextual factors that modulate them. 'Imitation' played a notable role in facilitating further learning and development of camouflaging strategies, thus shifting one from behavioural suppression to sophisticated compensations. The results encourage researchers to place camouflaging data within this (or other) frameworks. Limitations include data reflecting only a subset of the autistic community, skewed towards women and the United Kingdom, raising questions about the impact that gender and UK culture has on our current understanding of camouflaging. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2025 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1482868 |
| Database: | ERIC |
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| Abstract: | Autistic 'social camouflaging' research is proliferating. However, the term is multi-definitional. Our integrative systematic review (CRD42022324957) pursued a single-framework, qualitative meta-synthesis of camouflaging in autistic adults. We report specifically on different types of camouflaging strategies and the contextual factors that moderate them. A total of 2346 articles were extracted from online databases, 'Connected Papers' and citation searching -- reflecting qualitative data from diagnostically confirmed, or self-identifying, autistic individuals. The results of 28 studies were coded and thematically synthesised, and included 2669 men, women and non-binary individuals above the age of 16. We noted six types of strategies and four contextual factors that modulate them. 'Imitation' played a notable role in facilitating further learning and development of camouflaging strategies, thus shifting one from behavioural suppression to sophisticated compensations. The results encourage researchers to place camouflaging data within this (or other) frameworks. Limitations include data reflecting only a subset of the autistic community, skewed towards women and the United Kingdom, raising questions about the impact that gender and UK culture has on our current understanding of camouflaging. |
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| ISSN: | 1362-3613 1461-7005 |
| DOI: | 10.1177/13623613251335472 |
