Masking

Masking (in research usually called camouflaging) refers to strategies that people on the autism spectrum use to adapt to an environment shaped mostly by people without autism. This includes, for example, deliberately making eye contact or preparing topics of conversation in advance. ^[1] People report that they hope to avoid being excluded by masking. ^[1]

Studies also find links with exhaustion, anxiety and depression. Research on this is still young, and much is not conclusively settled.

A systematic review (8 qualitative studies) found that “camouflaging” is often used to gain friendships and relationships; for most people it is exhausting and often not very effective, and it calls social authenticity into question. ^[2] In people without an additional intellectual disability, compensation strategies they have worked out themselves can mask features of autism and make diagnosis more difficult. ^{[3, Ch. A.2.1]}

Context: The term comes from research and from accounts by people on the spectrum and is not a clinical diagnostic term. Whether and how strongly masking is linked to health consequences is the subject of ongoing research.

Sources and literature

1. Hull L, Petrides KV, Allison C, Smith P, Baron-Cohen S, Lai M-C, Mandy W: “Putting on my best normal”: Social camouflaging in adults with autism spectrum conditions. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 2017;47(8):2519–2534. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-017-3166-5 (PMID 28527095, PMC5509825)
2. Ridgway K, Cooke K, Demmer DH, Hooley M, Westrupp E, Stokes MA: Camouflaging Autism in Pursuit of Friendship and Intimate Relationships: A Systematic Review. Autism in Adulthood 2025;7(5):543–557. https://doi.org/10.1089/aut.2023.0160
3. DGKJP/DGPPN et al.: Autismus-Spektrum-Störungen im Kindes-, Jugend- und Erwachsenenalter, Teil 1: Diagnostik. Interdisziplinäre S3-Leitlinie, AWMF-Reg.-Nr. 028-018, Stand Text 23.02.2016. https://register.awmf.org/assets/guidelines/028-018l_S3_Autismus-Spektrum-Stoerungen_ASS-Diagnostik_2016-05-abgelaufen.pdf