Associate Professor of Practice; Assistant Director of Online MSW Practicum Education Simmons University
Autism is most often conceptualized as a disorder, the treatment for which promotes the practice of masking with deleterious effects on mental health and identity. The purpose of this study was to gather knowledge about the experiences of masking as they relate to mental health support and conceptualizations of autism.
Learning Objectives:
At the end of this session, attendees should be able to:
Participants will learn an operational definition of masking that is informed directly by data from this study.
Participants will be able to identify multiple conceptualizations of autism and their clinical implications for mental health services.
Participants will be able to understand the potential costs and benefits of masking and the process autistic adults experience when calculating whether to practice masking or to unmask.
