Sharing an Understanding on Coping Strategies Across Different Neurodevelopmental and Psychiatric Conditions: Shared Perspectives across Adults, Caregivers/Informants and Clinicians

Research suggests that people with different neurotypes (e.g., autism, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) and mental health diagnoses might use strategies to cope with being different from others. This can create miscommunication between individuals and their social circle (e.g., friends, family) and others who support them (e.g., doctors, therapists, etc.) We want to to understand when coping strategies develop over time and have better discussions on how clinicians can better support individuals with different diagnoses or neurodivergent experiences.

Fully licensed healthcare professionals who work with individuals with the following neurotypes:

• Autism
• ADHD
• Social Anxiety
• Depression
• Learning Disability
• Tourette’s Syndrome

Participants will complete an online survey of 20-40 min regarding their understanding of camouflaging (aka masking, compensation) in neurodiverse individuals.

Camouflaging (using strategies to cope with being different from others) is a commonly reported phenomenon among autistic individuals that influences clinical presentation, mental health outcomes and access to supports. Little is known about how camouflaging can impact the assessment and support process. Our study will explore clinician understanding of camouflaging and help inform future guidelines for how clinicians can better support individuals with neurodivergent experiences.