Camouflaging Autistic Traits: The Impact on Mental Health and Identity-Laura Hull

If you are looking for more resources on neurodiverse relationships you can check out Mona's website: www.neurodiverselove.com

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During this episode with Dr. Laura Hull you will learn more about the development of the CAT-Q tool (Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire) and the impact of camouflaging/masking.

Other topics discussed are:

• How the CAT-Q was developed and why.
• What might make it difficult for girls or women to get an autism diagnosis?
• Developing methods for teachers and parents to recognize and understand camouflaging.
• Camouflaging may be affect a person's mental health because of increased stress and anxiety, feeling like they may be losing their identity, lack of authenticity, or lying about who they are.
• The research shows there is a connection between mental health and camouflaging. There is ongoing research on the correlation between these topics.
• Masking and camouflaging are used interchangeably and focus on changing and fitting in. Camouflaging-is compensating for differences or assimilating into other aspects of behavior. Masking is a subtype of camouflaging and is about hiding of Autistic characteristics.
• Discovering that you’re Autistic later in life and beginning to work out your identity and unmask to find out who your “real self” is.
• Determining if you want to unmask in all areas of life.
• How unmasking impacts your relationships.
• Seeing your child get negative feedback for being who they are may be a catalyst for unmasking .
• There are some differences between different genders and the way they camouflage.
• What if health care and mental health providers ALL screened for neurodivergence? This could help more people get the right support and accommodations!
• The CAT-Q can be accessed for free at:https://embrace-autism.com/cat-q/
• The tool can help you better understand if and how you might be camouflaging.
• Laura is working on another project with neurodivergent individuals to determine what type of support young people who are masking might need.

To learn more about masking you can buy the book Laura co-authored: Autism and Masking: How and Why People Do It and the Impact it Can Have by Dr. Felicity Sedgewick, Dr. Laura Hull and Helen Ellis.

You can also contact Laura at: Laura.hull@bristol.ac.uk