Email this article Social Camouflage in People on the Autism Spectrum and Its Literary Representation in the Novels of Richard Powers as an Inspiration for Educational Settings
Abstract
The article analyzes the phenomenon of camouflage used by individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and its literary representation in Richard Powers’ novels The Overstory and Bewilderment. Camouflage is defined as a strategy of consciously or unconsciously conforming behavior, emotions, and communication to social norms in order to avoid stigmatization. Three dimensions of camouflage are distinguished: compensation (strategic coping with social difficulties), masking (concealment of autistic traits), and assimilation (complete adaptation to social norms at the expense of one’s own identity). Although camouflage can improve social functioning, it is associated with negative effects, such as stress, depression, and loss of authenticity. In Powers’ novels, camouflage is a tool for criticizing the social norms of capitalist culture. Characters like Neelay Mehta, Patricia Westerford, or Robin represent different strategies of adaptation. The author depicts their struggles and highlights the inadequacy of social systems to meet the needs of people with ASD. These novels illustrate the potential of literature to foster empathy and reflection on the climate crisis, social inequalities, and the relationship between humans and nature. The findings can contribute to the development of more inclusive educational practices to support people on the autism spectrum.
Keywords
Full Text:
PDF (Język Polski)References
American Psychiatric Association (2022). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed., text rev. DSM-5-TR. Arlington: APA.
Bargiela, S., Steward, R., Mandy, W. (2016). The Experiences of Late-Diagnosed Women with Autism Spectrum Conditions: An Investigation of the Female Autism Phenotype. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 46(10), 3281–3294. DOI: 10.1007/s10803-016-2872-8.
Baudrillard, J. (2005). Symulakry i symulacja. Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Sic!
Botha, M., Frost, D.M. (2018). Extending the Minority Stress Model to Understand Mental Health Problems Experienced by the Autistic Population. Society and Mental Health, 10(1), 20–34. DOI: 10.1177/2156869318804297.
Bradley, L., Shaw, R., Baron-Cohen, S., Cassidy, S. (2021). Autistic Adults’ Experiences of Camouflaging and Its Perceived Impact on Mental Health. Autism in Adulthood, 3(4), 320–329. DOI: 10.1089/aut.2020.0071.
Cage, E., Troxell-Whitman, Z. (2019). Understanding the Reasons, Contexts and Costs of Camouflaging for Autistic Adults. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49(5), 1899–1911. DOI: 10.1007/s10803-018-03878-x.
Cassidy, S., Bradley, L., Shaw, R., Baron-Cohen, S. (2018). Risk Markers for Suicidality in Autistic Adults. Molecular Autism, 9, 1–14. DOI: 10.1186/s13229-018-0226-4.
Coben, R., Linden, M., Myers, T.E. (2010). Neurofeedback for Autistic Spectrum Disorder: A Review of the Literature. Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, 35(1), 83–105. DOI: 10.1007/s10484-009-9117-y.
Dell’Osso, L., Toschi, D., Carpita, B., Amatori, G. (2024). Female Autism: Grunya Sukhareva’s Pioneering Description Reinterpreted in Light of DSM-5-TR and the Concept of Camouflaging. Italian Journal of Psychiatry, 10(1), 1–3. DOI: 10.36180/2421-4469-2024-1.
Dirth, T.P., Branscombe, N.R. (2018). The Social Identity Approach to Disability: Bridging Disability Studies and Psychological Science. Psychological Bulletin, 144(12), 1300–1324. DOI: 10.1037/bul0000156.
Frampton, S.E., Connolly, S.C., Landa, R.K., Shillingsburg, M.A. (2023). Autism Spectrum Disorder. W: H.S. Friedman, C.H. Markey (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Mental Health (s. 164–174). New York: Academic Press. DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-323-91497-0.00101-6.
Furgał, E. (2022). Dziewczyna w spektrum. Warszawa: Biała Plama.
Furgał, E. (2023). Autentyczna w spektrum. Jak odnalazłam siebie w spektrum autyzmu. Warszawa: Buchmann.
Glenza, J. (2024). Overwhelming Majority of Young Americans Worry about Climate Crisis. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/oct/17/young-americans-climate-change
Goffman, E. (1977). Człowiek w teatrze życia codziennego. Warszawa: PIW.
Goffman, E. (2005). Piętno. Rozważania o zranionej tożsamości. Gdańsk: GWP.
Hendrickx, S. (2018). Kobiety i dziewczyny ze spektrum autyzmu. Od wczesnego dzieciństwa do późnej starości. Kraków: Wydawnictwo UJ.
Holtmann, M., Steiner, S., Hohmann, S., Poustka, L., Banaschewski, T., Bölte, S. (2011). Neurofeedback in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 53(11), 986–993. DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8749.2011.04043.x.
Hull, L., Mandy, W., Meng-Chuan, L., Baron-Cohen, S., Allison, C., Smith, P., Petrides, K.V. (2019). Development and Validation of the Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (CATQ). Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49(3), 819–833. DOI: 10.1007/s10803-018-3792-6.
Hull, L., Petrides, K.V., Mandy, W. (2021). Cognitive Predictors of Self-Reported Camouflaging in Autistic Adolescents. Autism Research, 14(3), 523–532. DOI: 10.1002/aur.2407.
Karaczun, Z., Michalak, W., Łuszczki, K., Okulus, A., Patalong, M. (2021). Wpływ zmiany klimatu na zdrowie dzieci. Warszawa: Polski Klub Ekologiczny Okręg Mazowiecki.
Lai, M.-C., Hull, L., Mandy, W., Chakrabarti, B., Wu Nordahl, C., Lombardo, M.V., Ameis, S.H., Szatmari, P., Baron-Cohen, S., Happé, F., Livingston, L.A. (2021). Commentary: ‘Camouflaging’ in Autistic People – Reflection on Fombonne (2020). Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 62(8), 1037–1041. DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13344.
Livingston, L.A., Shah, P., Milner, V., Happé, F. (2020). Quantifying Compensatory Strategies in Adults With and Without Diagnosed Autism. Molecular Autism, 11. DOI: 10.1186/s13229-019-0308-y.
Ławicka, J. (2019). Człowiek w spektrum autyzmu. Podręcznik pedagogiki empatycznej. Opole: Fundacja Prodeste.
Ławicka, J. (2021). Jarzmo. Spektrum przemocy. Opole: Fundacja Prodeste.
Ławicka, J., Oszczęda, A. (2023). Spektrum autyzmu i Stosowana Analiza Potrzeb. Opole: Fundacja Prodeste.
Moore, H.L., Cassidy, S., Rodgers, J. (2024). Exploring the Mediating Effect of Camouflaging and the Moderating Effect of Autistic Identity on the Relationship between Autistic Traits and Mental Wellbeing. Autism Research, vol. 17(7), 1391–1406. DOI: 10.1002/aur.3073.
Morton, A.G., Dawson, M., Mottron, L. (2006). Autism: Common, Heritable, but Not Harmful. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 29(4), 413–414. DOI: 10.1017/S0140525X06319097.
Nerenberg, J. (2022). Neuroróżnorodne. Jak żyć w świecie nie na naszą miarę. Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Krytyki Politycznej.
Petrolini, V., Rodríguez-Armendariz, E., Vicente, A. (2023). Autistic Camouflaging Across the Spectrum. New Ideas in Psychology, 68. DOI: 10.1016/j.newideapsych.2022.100992.
Płatos, M. (2018). Autyzm odcieleśniony. Historia społecznego konstruowania autyzmu jako choroby, zaburzenia i niepełnosprawności. Annales Universitatis Paedagogicae Cracoviensis. Studia de Cultura, 10(1), 100–112. DOI: 10.24917/20837275.10.1.8.
Powers, R. (2021). Listowieść. Warszawa: WAB.
Powers, R. (2023). Zadziwienie. Warszawa: WAB.
Price, D. (2023). Autyzm bez maski. Nieznane oblicza neuroróżnorodności. Warszawa: Biła Plama.
Radtke, M., Wieczorekova, D., Normann, C., Humpolicek, P., Brakemeier, E.-L., Bubl, E., Tebartz van Elst, L., Riedel, A. (2019). Exploring Autistic Traits in Adults with Chronic Depression: A Clinical Study. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 65, 34–45. DOI: 10.1016/j.rasd.2019.04.006.
Raymaker, D.M., Teo, A.R., Steckler, N.A., Lentz, B., Scharer, M., Santos, A.D., Kapp, S.K., Hunter, M., Joyce, A., Nicolaidis, C. (2020). “Having All of Your Internal Resources Exhausted Beyond Measure and Being Left with No Clean-Up Crew”: Defining Autistic Burnout. Autism in Adulthood, 2(2), 1–12. DOI: 10.1089/aut.2019.0079.
Vergunst, F., Prentice, C.M., Orri, M., Berry, H.L., Berry, H.L., Paquin, V., Vitaro, F., Tremblay, R., Côté, S.M., Geoffroy. M.-C. (2024). Association of Youth Climate Change Worry with Present and Past Mental Health Symptoms: A Longitudinal Population-Based Study. Climatic Change, 177. DOI: 10.1007/s10584-024-03807-1.
Wikipedia (2025a). Satya Nadella. https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satya_Nadella
Wikipedia (2025b). Sundar Pichai. https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sundar_Pichai
Wikipedia (2025c). Suzanne Simard. https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzanne_Simard
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17951/en.2025.10.353-373
Date of publication: 2025-12-10 20:52:23
Date of submission: 2024-10-03 14:00:52
Statistics
Indicators
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
Copyright (c) 2025 Annales Universitatis Mariae Curie-Sklodowska, sectio N – Educatio Nova
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.