Camouflaging in neurodivergent and neurotypical girls at the transition to adolescence and its relationship to mental health: A participatory methods research study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Adolescent girls with diagnoses of autism, ADHD and/or developmental coordination disorder (DCD) are at higher risk for mental health problems than boys with the same diagnoses and neurotypical girls. These girls are called neurodivergent here, though neurodivergence includes a broader range of diagnoses. One possible reason for this mental health disparity could be camouflaging, a coping strategy used more by girls. Camouflaging is when the individual pretends to be neurotypical, often involving substantial effort. This study aims to understand: (a) if the use of camouflaging has started by early adolescence, (b) how components of camouflaging (assimilation, masking, and compensation) present at this age, (c) if age predicts camouflaging and (d) what is the relationship

SUBMITTER: McKinney A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11669776 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature