There is a growing body of research on Autistic Masking which points to the causes, and the detrimental impact on Autistics' physical and mental health, academic success, employment and life trajectories. As educators, it is absolutely essential that we know about Autistic Masking.  How we understand, interact with and honour the authentic experiences of Autistic students, colleagues and community members relies on us recognizing the impact of our actions, words and perceptions of Autistics so we are not causing harm unintentionally. 

Learn about Autistic Masking, and how it relates to Autistic Burnout, at your own pace, by reviewing the information and resources below.  There is a practice activity and a reflection to test your knowledge AND you can even take the Camouflauging Autistic Traits questionaire to see whether you are masking, as there are many educators who are Autistic and may not even know it yet.

Autistic Masking includes:

• conscious and unconscious coping mechanisms an Autistic develops to appear less Autistic so they can fit in to societal expectations of normal (Pearson & Rose, 2021)

• is a trauma response which includes things like

  • • making eye contact, 

    • refraining from stimming (self-stimulatory actions which support self-regulation),

    • hiding sensory distress, and 

    • changing body language to appease others (Pearson & Rose, 2021) 

Why do Autistics mask?

• rampant, yet detrimental survival technique for Autistics who can not exist authentically in their 

workplaces and communities because they already face stigma and marginalization

(Pearson &  Rose, 2022)

• non-Autistics have preconceived limited expectations of Autistics, view them as child-like, and dehumanize them (Cage et al., 2019), so masking is a survival method

• Autistic staff fear disclosing at work because they have seen or experienced the impact of disclosing 

previously and are afraid they will be presumed incompetent and have limited career opportunities 

(Wood & Happé, 2023). 

• Autistic Masking can manifest in the ethical dilemmas Autistics face as they perform their day-to-day 

roles using required assessment tools and interventions which are not Neurodiversity aligned 

(Manalili, 2022).

• witnessing actions by colleagues or families who caused trauma to Autistics equates to a trauma response 

in the Autistic observer; and coping with this can present a moral and mental health dilemma, causing internalized ableism or masking.(Guthrie, 2023).

Detrimental Impact of Masking

• is a contributing factor to the high rate of suicide in the Autistic population (Cassidy et al., 2018)

• significant decrease in energy levels amongst Autistics at the end of the day, not due to their work 

with students, but rather because of the taxing nature of collegial small talk and ill-conceived sensory environments (Wood & Happé, 2023)

Barriers to Unmasking

• Even though current research confirms that the demand to “pass” as non-Autistic is harmful, 

passing demands are pervasive in the goals set for Autistics in and beyond clinical settings (Ne’eman et al., 2023)

• Praise of disabled educators (and students) with seemingly lower support needs can unintentionally 

increase the pressure to appear “normal”, reinforcing ableism and stigmatization (O'Connor, 2023). 

• In keeping with Autistic adults who have recalled their own traumatic experiences with ABA, which aimed

to make them appear non-Autistic (Anderson, 2023), Autistic staff who witnessed injustices against Autistic students (such as forced masking) have felt frustration, ethical turmoil and powerlessness or complicity, 

particularly in settings 'designed' to support Autistics (Wood & Happé, 2023). 

Take the Camouflauging Autistic Traits questionaire 

The CAT-Q measures how much a person is camouflaging(now more commonly known as masking) and therefore suppressing Autistic proclivities. This is important because those who mask heavily may not be scoring very high on traditional autism diagnostic tools.  If someone doesn't meet the criteria for Autism, but still thinks they have Autistic traits and could be Autistic, masking could be why.

There are three subcategories in the CAT-Q:

• Compensation — Strategies used to actively compensate for difficulties in social situations.

(e.g., copying facial expressions and gestures, or learning how to engage socially from books or movies   (see Autism & movie talk).

• Masking — Strategies used to hide autistic characteristics or portray a non-autistic persona.

(e.g., forcing eye contact and making face and body look relaxed)

• Assimilation — Strategies used to try to fit in with others in social situations.

(e.g., avoiding interactions or forcing interactions with others, playing a role in situations)

Embrace Autism: Who the test is designed for

There are three tools to support your learning and reflection: 

1) Use the Flash Cards to familiarize yourself with key terms and concepts. 

2) Reflect using prompts in the Autistic Insights and Reflection Journal.  Should you prefer to reflect in another format, here they are for your reference: 

Reflect on what you have learned about the concept of Autistic Masking as a trauma response to stigma, invalidation, and marginalization. How does Autistic Masking impact the mental health outcomes in the Autistic community? How can you make a difference?

Consider the impact of lack of support and recognition on the development of Autistic Burnout. How does a lack of understanding and support from family, friends, educators and coworkers contribute to the risk of burnout? 

3) Participate in the Camouflauging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (CAT-Q), which measures how much a person is camouflaging(now more commonly known as masking) and, therefore suppressing Autistic proclivities. This is important because those who mask heavily may not be scoring very high on traditional autism diagnostic tools.  If someone doesn't meet the criteria for Autism, but still thinks they have Autistic traits and could be Autistic, masking could be why.

What is Autistic Burnout? A Guide from Autistic Women & Non-Binary Network