THE INFLUENCE OF SEX, GENDER IDENTITY AND DIAGNOSIS TIME ON SOCIAL CAMOUFLAGE ON AUTISM
Keywords:
Autism Spectrum Disorder, Late Diagnosis, Social CamouflageAbstract
Social camouflage refers to a strategy, conscious or unconscious, used by individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder to fit into social contexts, involving the act of disguising typical autistic behaviors. The aim of this study was to investigate the roles of sex, gender identity (gender diverse versus cisgender), and the timing of diagnosis (before or after the age of 21), as well as the interactions between these factors, in 28 Brazilian adults diagnosed with autism, using the assimilation, compensation, and masking subscales of the Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire. Participants who scored higher on the questionnaire were female, non-heterosexual, gender diverse, with incomplete higher education, and diagnosed after the age of 21. None of the investigated variables appeared to differently impact social camouflage strategies or the subclasses of compensation, masking, and assimilation. These results differ from what has been presented in the American literature. This difference may be due to cultural issues and distinct understandings and acceptance of autism between Brazilians and Americans.
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