Understanding Social Camouflaging in Autistic Adults: Integrating Cognitive and Psychosocial Predictors

Abstract

Camouflaging refers to strategies used by autistic individuals to mask traits and adapt to neurotypical norms. Beyond socio-cognitive abilities, recent work suggests that camouflaging is also shaped by psychosocial factors. This study tested an integrative, prediction-oriented model of camouflaging. We hypothesized that higher levels of camouflaging would be associated with socio-cognitive functioning, perceived social misfit, mental health, and lower autism acceptance, and that an integrative model combining these factors would predict individual differences in camouflaging. Participants were 120 autistic adults (M = 37.4 years, SD = 10.4), mostly officially diagnosed and predominantly assigned female at birth. Self-report measures assessed camouflaging, executive functioning, perceived social-cognition differences, autism acceptance, social support, and mental health. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to estimate the contribution of each predictor to camouflaging. The final model explained a moderate proportion of variance in camouflaging (R² = 0.27; standardized root mean squared residual = 0.05). Executive dysfunction, perceived social-cognition differences, and personal acceptance showed positive associations with camouflaging, whereas intellectual functioning, perceived acceptance, and social support did not contribute meaningfully. Camouflaging reflects a dynamic interplay between perceived social misfit, executive demands, and identity-related processes rather than a fixed cognitive ability, highlighting the importance of affirming social environments.

Lay Abstract

Camouflaging refers to the strategies autistic people use to hide their autistic personality in order to fit into social expectations. While camouflaging can sometimes help in social situations, it often comes with serious costs, including stress, anxiety, depression, and autistic burnout. Many autistic adults report feeling pressure to camouflage because of stigma and how society views autism. Understanding what drives camouflaging is important to reduce its harmful effects and to better support autistic people. This study explored which factors are most strongly linked to camouflaging in autistic adults. Instead of looking only at thinking skills such as intelligence, we included measures of executive functioning (everyday planning), social experiences, autism acceptance, and mental health. A total of 120 autistic adults completed online questionnaires. We used statistical models to test which factors predicted camouflaging. We found that camouflaging was most strongly linked to three factors: difficulties with executive functioning, feeling like a misfit in social situations, and how much participants personally accepted their autistic identity. Intelligence, general social support, and feeling accepted by others as autistic played little role. These findings show that camouflaging is not simply about cognitive skills, but also about self-perception and social pressure. Creating more accepting environments and supporting autistic identity may reduce the need to camouflage and protect mental health.