{"id":{"repo_id":"calgary","oai_identifier":"oai:ucalgary.scholaris.ca:1880/122606"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/calgary/oai:ucalgary.scholaris.ca:1880/122606","repository":{"repo_id":"calgary","name":"University of Calgary","base_url":"https://ucalgary.scholaris.ca/server/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Exploring the Camouflaging Experiences of Early-Diagnosed Autistic Females","abstract":"Camouflaging refers to both behavioural and cognitive strategies used by autistic individuals to hide their autistic traits. These strategies are often intended to help autistic people adapt to social norms and fit in with their neurotypical peers. Camouflaging is a key factor of the female autism phenotype, as such strategies are more commonly employed by autistic girls and women; however, most camouflaging research has particularly revolved around late-diagnosed autistic women. To address the gap of knowledge regarding camouflaging in autistic girls and women diagnosed earlier in life, the current study aimed to explore the camouflaging experiences of early-diagnosed autistic women (i.e., women who were diagnosed during or before their kindergarten year). The findings were then compared to the existing literature on camouflaging in late-diagnosed autistic women. Four early-diagnosed autistic women participated in semi-structured interviews that were then analyzed using interpretive phenomenological analysis. A cross-analysis of personal experiential themes generated seven group experiential themes which highlighted similarities and distinctions in participant experiences. These themes highlight participants’ motivations for camouflaging and its’ impacts while capturing how participants have made sense of their camouflaging experiences from childhood and into adulthood. These findings amplify the voices of early-diagnosed autistic women, offering important clinical implications and directions for future research.","abstract_html":"Camouflaging refers to both behavioural and cognitive strategies used by autistic individuals to hide their autistic traits. These strategies are often intended to help autistic people adapt to social norms and fit in with their neurotypical peers. Camouflaging is a key factor of the female autism phenotype, as such strategies are more commonly employed by autistic girls and women; however, most camouflaging research has particularly revolved around late-diagnosed autistic women. To address the gap of knowledge regarding camouflaging in autistic girls and women diagnosed earlier in life, the current study aimed to explore the camouflaging experiences of early-diagnosed autistic women (i.e., women who were diagnosed during or before their kindergarten year). The findings were then compared to the existing literature on camouflaging in late-diagnosed autistic women. Four early-diagnosed autistic women participated in semi-structured interviews that were then analyzed using interpretive phenomenological analysis. A cross-analysis of personal experiential themes generated seven group experiential themes which highlighted similarities and distinctions in participant experiences. These themes highlight participants’ motivations for camouflaging and its’ impacts while capturing how participants have made sense of their camouflaging experiences from childhood and into adulthood. These findings amplify the voices of early-diagnosed autistic women, offering important clinical implications and directions for future research.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Torraville, Bethany"],"institution":"Werklund School of Education","degree_name":"Master of Science (MSc)","degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":"Education Graduate Program – Educational Psychology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["McCrimmon, Adam"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":["Hicks, Kelly","Ellard, John"],"year":2025,"date_issued":"2025-08-27","date_published":"2025-08-27","updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:30:25Z","subjects":["Camouflaging","autism","early-diagnosis","female autism phenotype","diagnostic timing","qualitative research"],"languages":["en"],"rights":["Unless otherwise indicated, this material is protected by copyright and has been made available with authorization from the copyright owner. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.doi","label":"DOI","values":["https://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/50199"],"render_values":[{"text":"https://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/50199","href":"https://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/50199","code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/1880/122606","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["McCrimmon, Adam"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Hicks, Kelly","Ellard, John"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Torraville, Bethany"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2025-11"]},{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2025-09-05T17:57:54Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2025-09-05T17:57:54Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2025-08-27"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["master thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Education Graduate Program – Educational Psychology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MSc)"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["University of Calgary"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Camouflaging","autism","early-diagnosis","female autism phenotype","diagnostic timing","qualitative research"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Unless otherwise indicated, this material is protected by copyright and has been made available with authorization from the copyright owner. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.doi","label":"DOI","values":["https://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/50199"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://hdl.handle.net/1880/122606"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Camouflaging refers to both behavioural and cognitive strategies used by autistic individuals to hide their autistic traits. These strategies are often intended to help autistic people adapt to social norms and fit in with their neurotypical peers. Camouflaging is a key factor of the female autism phenotype, as such strategies are more commonly employed by autistic girls and women; however, most camouflaging research has particularly revolved around late-diagnosed autistic women. To address the gap of knowledge regarding camouflaging in autistic girls and women diagnosed earlier in life, the current study aimed to explore the camouflaging experiences of early-diagnosed autistic women (i.e., women who were diagnosed during or before their kindergarten year). The findings were then compared to the existing literature on camouflaging in late-diagnosed autistic women. Four early-diagnosed autistic women participated in semi-structured interviews that were then analyzed using interpretive phenomenological analysis. A cross-analysis of personal experiential themes generated seven group experiential themes which highlighted similarities and distinctions in participant experiences. These themes highlight participants’ motivations for camouflaging and its’ impacts while capturing how participants have made sense of their camouflaging experiences from childhood and into adulthood. These findings amplify the voices of early-diagnosed autistic women, offering important clinical implications and directions for future research."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Exploring the Camouflaging Experiences of Early-Diagnosed Autistic Females"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["McCrimmon, Adam"],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Hicks, Kelly","Ellard, John"],"dc:creator":["Torraville, Bethany"],"dc:date":["2025-11"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2025-09-05T17:57:54Z"],"dc:date.available":["2025-09-05T17:57:54Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2025-08-27"],"dc:description.abstract":["Camouflaging refers to both behavioural and cognitive strategies used by autistic individuals to hide their autistic traits. These strategies are often intended to help autistic people adapt to social norms and fit in with their neurotypical peers. Camouflaging is a key factor of the female autism phenotype, as such strategies are more commonly employed by autistic girls and women; however, most camouflaging research has particularly revolved around late-diagnosed autistic women. To address the gap of knowledge regarding camouflaging in autistic girls and women diagnosed earlier in life, the current study aimed to explore the camouflaging experiences of early-diagnosed autistic women (i.e., women who were diagnosed during or before their kindergarten year). The findings were then compared to the existing literature on camouflaging in late-diagnosed autistic women. Four early-diagnosed autistic women participated in semi-structured interviews that were then analyzed using interpretive phenomenological analysis. A cross-analysis of personal experiential themes generated seven group experiential themes which highlighted similarities and distinctions in participant experiences. These themes highlight participants’ motivations for camouflaging and its’ impacts while capturing how participants have made sense of their camouflaging experiences from childhood and into adulthood. These findings amplify the voices of early-diagnosed autistic women, offering important clinical implications and directions for future research."],"dc:identifier.doi":["https://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/50199"],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://hdl.handle.net/1880/122606"],"dc:language.iso":["en"],"dc:rights":["Unless otherwise indicated, this material is protected by copyright and has been made available with authorization from the copyright owner. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission."],"dc:subject":["Camouflaging","autism","early-diagnosis","female autism phenotype","diagnostic timing","qualitative research"],"dc:title":["Exploring the Camouflaging Experiences of Early-Diagnosed Autistic Females"],"dc:type":["master thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Education Graduate Program – Educational Psychology"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MSc)"],"thesis:institution_name":["University of Calgary"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:30:25Z"}