‘They just don’t understand me’ - A qualitative exploration of autistic-identifying female experiences of social camouflaging.

Social camouflaging, or masking, is a common phenomenon whereby autistic-identifying individuals adapt their ‘atypical’ behaviour to ‘fit in’ with their peers. Little is known about the mechanisms behind, functionality of, and impact of masking. This qualitative study aimed to examine the experiences of masking within a female sample who identified with autistic traits. Six female participants were invited to take part in individual semi-structured interviews on their experiences of masking. Reflexive Thematic Analysis was utilised to gather a deeper understanding into the practicalities and impact of masking behaviours, aiming to answer the research question: How are masking behaviours experienced in females who display autistic traits? Three core themes were identified following analysis: ‘The Innate Fear of Judgement’, ‘Deconstructing Normality’, and ‘Self-Identification and Self-Efficacy’. Results show females identifying with autistic traits who engage in masking may experience higher difficulty than their peers throughout their social connectedness, experience of diagnosis, general life and educational experiences. Further work is needed to consider how best to support this population.