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Commentary: 'Camouflaging' in autistic people - reflection on Fombonne (2020)
Meng-Chuan Lai1,2,3,4,5, Laura Hull6, William Mandy6
1The Margaret and Wallace McCain Centre for Child, Youth & Family Mental Health, Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines
|December 8, 2020
Summary
Autistic camouflaging, masking autistic traits to fit in, requires further research into its validity and measurement. Understanding camouflaging is crucial for diagnosing autism in adults and considering sex and gender influences.
Area of Science:
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Social Psychology
Background:
- Camouflaging involves autistic individuals masking autistic traits to navigate neurotypical social norms.
- Fombonne's (2020) editorial critically examined camouflaging, raising key areas of debate.
- Contention points include construct validity, measurement, late diagnosis, and the 'female autism phenotype'.
Purpose of the Study:
- To address Fombonne's (2020) points on camouflaging in autism.
- To advocate for establishing construct validity and measurement of camouflaging.
- To emphasize the role of subjective experiences in diagnosing autism in adolescents and adults.
Main Methods:
- Literature appraisal and critical analysis of existing research on autism camouflaging.
- Argumentative approach based on the review of Fombonne's (2020) editorial.
- Synthesis of current understanding regarding sex and gender influences on autism manifestation.
Main Results:
- Establishing construct validity and measurement for camouflaging aspects is necessary.
- Subjective experiences are vital for differential diagnosis of autism in later life.
- Camouflaging is not exclusively a feature of autism in females; sex and gender influence developmental manifestations.
Conclusions:
- Further research is needed to clarify camouflaging constructs, measurements, and impact.
- Understanding sex and gender influences is critical for a comprehensive view of autism.
- Future directions include exploring demography, mechanisms, benefits, harms, and tailored support for autistic individuals.