The Consequences of Social Camouflaging in Autistic Adults: A Systematic Review

Jonathan Summerill; S.J. (Ash) Summers

doi:10.1016/j.reia.2025.202556

The Consequences of Social Camouflaging in Autistic Adults: A Systematic Review

Jonathan Summerill, S.J. (Ash) Summers

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

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Abstract

A systematic review of the current literature was carried out with the aim of examining the positive and negative consequences of social camouflaging in autistic adults. Five databases (CINAHL, Web of Science, Medline, Psycinfo, and Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection) were searched in June 2023 and again in December 2023 and a total of 1868 papers were retrieved. Once screened, 24 papers met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final review. The review found that social camouflaging came with several short-term benefits, including (1) the avoidance of stigma, (2) connectedness, and (3) the use of alternative ways of communicating with others. The review further found that social camouflaging came with several long-term consequences, including (1) the impact on identity, (2) a delayed or missed diagnosis, and (3) implications on mental health. These findings will be discussed in relation to previous literature reviews that have been carried out in this area, as well as the implications for clinical practice.

Original language	English
Article number	202556
Number of pages	15
Journal	Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders
Volume	121-122
Early online date	5 Mar 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.reia.2025.202556
Publication status	Published - 5 Mar 2025

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title = "The Consequences of Social Camouflaging in Autistic Adults: A Systematic Review",

abstract = "A systematic review of the current literature was carried out with the aim of examining the positive and negative consequences of social camouflaging in autistic adults. Five databases (CINAHL, Web of Science, Medline, Psycinfo, and Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection) were searched in June 2023 and again in December 2023 and a total of 1868 papers were retrieved. Once screened, 24 papers met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final review. The review found that social camouflaging came with several short-term benefits, including (1) the avoidance of stigma, (2) connectedness, and (3) the use of alternative ways of communicating with others. The review further found that social camouflaging came with several long-term consequences, including (1) the impact on identity, (2) a delayed or missed diagnosis, and (3) implications on mental health. These findings will be discussed in relation to previous literature reviews that have been carried out in this area, as well as the implications for clinical practice.",

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The Consequences of Social Camouflaging in Autistic Adults: A Systematic Review

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