Camouflaging and identity development among autistic female and gender-diverse youth: A qualitative exploration.
Camouflaging earns social approval but chips away at identity and well-being in autistic female and gender-diverse teens.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Marsack-Topolewski et al. (2025) talked with autistic girls and gender-diverse teens about hiding their autism. The team asked how these youth cover up traits and how that shapes who they feel they are.
The study used open interviews. Kids shared stories about masking stims, copying peers, and the toll it took on their mental health.
What they found
Three clear themes came out. First, the teens said society rewards "acting normal" so they keep camouflaging. Second, all that hiding leaves them unsure of their real identity. Third, the extra work leads to anxiety, sadness, and burnout.
In short, camouflaging is reinforced by others but hurts the teens inside.
How this fits with other research
Topaz et al. (2026) extends these findings. Their big national cohort shows autistic AFAB teens get far fewer gender-affirming medical visits than non-autistic trans peers. N et al. show why: constant masking makes asking for help even harder.
Diemer et al. (2023) supply a root cause. Most clinicians still use male-based autism tools, so girls remain invisible. When diagnosis is missed, camouflaging becomes the only survival plan that N et al. describe.
Paone et al. (2026) and Capelli et al. (2025) add a twist. Both teams link autistic teens to poor sleep. N et al. never asked about bedtime, but exhaustion from all-day masking could easily feed the sleep problems they map.
Why it matters
If you work with autistic girls or gender-diverse youth, expect heavy camouflage. Build in safe times to drop the mask, like small same-neurotype groups. Praise authentic stims and special interests instead of quiet hands. Watch for signs of identity confusion or fatigue, and write goals that boost self-knowledge, not just social compliance.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Adolescence is a vulnerable developmental period for autistic youth. Autistic adolescents often use camouflaging to combat social challenges, perceived differences, and stigmatization. Although adolescence is an integral period for identity development, integration of these topics remains understudied in current literature. Evidence of elevated camouflaging rates among autistic females and gender-diverse adults underscores the need to examine the developmental trajectory of these topics. The present study qualitatively explored first-person perspectives on camouflaging and identity formation among autistic female and gender-diverse youth. Ten autistic adolescents (female: n = 7; gender diverse: n = 3) and their caregivers were enrolled in the present study. Youths completed a semi-structured interview or focus group discussion. Data were qualitatively analyzed and produced several prominent themes in three domains of investigation: (1) the nuts and bolts of camouflaging, (2) the aftermath of camouflaging, and (3) understanding being autistic. Identified themes and subthemes are discussed. Results demonstrated that autistic youth employ complex camouflaging strategies, motivated and reinforced by their experiences within society, that hold damaging consequences for their self-understanding and well-being. These findings reinforce the harmful implications of camouflaging on youths' positive identity development, mental health, and well-being. Implications and future directions are discussed.Lay AbstractAdolescence is a challenging time for autistic youth. Many autistic adolescents change their behavior in social situations to adapt or cope with social challenges, feeling different, and/or stigma. We conducted in-depth discussions with autistic adolescents who identify as female or gender-diverse to understand how changing their behavior in social situations impacts their identity, or self-understanding. Ten autistic adolescents and their caregivers were included in the study. Discussions were analyzed to understand how and why youths change their social behavior and the impact it has on their self-understanding. Participants described using many complex strategies to change their social behavior that are influenced by negative views our society has about people's differences. The strategies often harmed participants' self-understanding and negatively affected their overall well-being. The results are important for understanding how to support autistic adolescents' self-understanding, mental health, and well-being.
Autism : the international journal of research and practice, 2025 · doi:10.1177/13623613251345855