ERIC Number: EJ1443059
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024-Oct
Pages: 18
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1362-3613
EISSN: EISSN-1461-7005
Exploring the Association between Social Camouflaging and Self- versus Caregiver-Report Discrepancies in Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms in Autistic and Non-Autistic Socially Anxious Adolescents
Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice, v28 n10 p2657-2674 2024
Social camouflaging in autism involves hiding social differences and autistic traits to fit in with neurotypical settings and is associated with poorer mental health in both autistic adolescents and adults. This study explored the association between self-reported social camouflaging behaviours and adolescents' self-report of generalised anxiety disorder and depressive symptoms compared with caregiver reports. A clinical sample of 43 autistic and 39 non-autistic adolescents (14-19 years), without intellectual disability and matched on social anxiety, and their primary caregiver completed questionnaires reporting the young person's autistic traits, generalised anxiety disorder and depression symptoms. Using response surface analysis, congruence between adolescent and caregiver rated autistic traits, generalised anxiety disorder and depression symptoms were not associated with greater camouflaging scores. Response surface analysis parameters showed that camouflaging was greater when both adolescent and caregivers rated high levels of autistic traits and generalised anxiety disorder symptoms, and when adolescents exceeded caregiver ratings on autistic traits, generalised anxiety disorder and depression symptoms. Adolescents who experience greater anxiety and autistic traits may engage in more (though less effective) social camouflaging behaviours, which in turn may contribute towards poorer mental health outcomes. Clinicians may benefit from collaboratively creating with adolescents a person-centred formulation that considers the associations between autistic traits and mental health outcomes.
Descriptors: Autism Spectrum Disorders, Symptoms (Individual Disorders), Social Attitudes, Mental Health, Adolescents, Depression (Psychology), Anxiety Disorders, Social Behavior, Foreign Countries
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: United Kingdom (London)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A