Quantifying and exploring camouflaging in men and women with autism

Autobiographical descriptions and clinician observations suggest that some individuals with autism, particularly females, 'camouflage' their social communication difficulties, which may require considerable cognitive effort and lead to increased stress, anxiety and depression. Using data from 60 age- and IQ-matched men and women with autism (without intellectual disability), we operationalized camouflaging in adults with autism for the first time as the quantitative discrepancy between the person's 'external' behavioural presentation in social-interpersonal contexts (measured by the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule) and the person's 'internal' status (dispositional traits measured by the Autism Spectrum…

• CF
  Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
• EF
  European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations

  Award: FP7/2007-2013
• NI
  National Institute for Health and Care Research

  Award: FP7/2007-2013
• KC
  King's College London

  Award: 115300
• UO
  University of Oxford
• EC
  European Commission

  Awards: FP7/2007-2013, 115300, 2007-2013, FP7/2007
• HF
  Hospital for Sick Children
• IM
  Innovative Medicines Initiative

  Award: 115300
• IO
  Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London
• MR
  Medical Research Council

  Awards: 115300, 400061, GO 400061
• EA
  Economic and Social Research Council

  Award: ES/M011488/1
• MC
  Menzies Centre for Australian Studies, King's College London, University of London
• WC
  Wolfson College, University of Cambridge