Relationship between social camouflage and executive functions in girls and women with autism
##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.sidebar##
##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.main##
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3574-044X
Abstract
INTRODUCTION. Girls and women with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are often underdiagnosed due to their ability to employ social camouflage strategies. These compensatory behaviors, such as imitating social skills or suppressing spontaneous behaviors, allow for social adjustment but come at a high cognitive and emotional cost. OBJECTIVE. This systematic review study aimed to analyze the relationship between social camouflage in girls and women with autism and its impact on their executive functions. METHODOLOGY. The study was conducted under the PRISMA protocol, reviewing 368 articles from the Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed databases, from which 12 relevant studies were selected. RESULTS. The results show that camouflaging requires executive functions (EF), such as cognitive inhibition, planning, and emotional regulation, impacting psychological well-being and academic performance. High rates of anxiety, depression, emotional fatigue, and identity confusion are reported. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS. These findings underscore the need to develop diagnostic strategies and psychoeducational interventions tailored to the cognitive and emotional characteristics of this population, promoting their inclusion and respect for their authenticity. There is a need to develop specific instruments to assess social camouflaging in women with autism.
##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.details##
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This license inidicates that:
You are free to:
- Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format for any purpose, even commercially.
- Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
- The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms.
Under the following terms:
- Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
- No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.