Masking is a common but often misunderstood behavior among neurodivergent students, impacting their well-being and social interactions.

In schools, many students feel pressured to suppress their natural behaviors to fit in, but this can take a significant toll on their mental and emotional health. Understanding masking is the first step in creating a more supportive and inclusive learning environment.

What is Masking?

Masking is a coping strategy that many neurodivergent individuals, particularly autistic students, use to navigate social environments. It involves suppressing natural behaviors, mimicking neurotypical social norms, and working to ‘blend in’ to avoid stigma or exclusion. While masking may help students fit in temporarily, it often comes at a significant emotional and mental cost.

Students may mask by:

• Forcing eye contact even when it feels uncomfortable.
• Suppressing stimming behaviors like rocking or hand-flapping.
• Copying peers’ speech patterns or facial expressions.
• Avoiding discussing their special interests to seem more ‘typical.’

Masking can be exhausting, leading to anxiety, burnout, and a sense of losing one’s true self. As educators, it’s crucial to recognize the impact of masking and create an environment where students feel safe to unmask.

The Emotional and Mental Toll of Masking

While masking may help neurodivergent students avoid negative social interactions, it often leads to significant distress. Research shows that chronic masking can contribute to:

• Mental exhaustion and burnout: Constantly suppressing natural behaviors is emotionally draining and can lead to shutdowns or meltdowns.
• Increased anxiety and depression: Masking can cause students to feel isolated, unseen, or like they need to hide their authentic selves.
• Loss of identity: Some students may struggle with knowing who they truly are if they have spent years adapting to fit societal expectations.
• Suicidal ideation: Studies have found a troubling link between chronic masking and increased suicidal thoughts among autistic individuals.

By fostering environments that allow students to express themselves authentically, educators can help alleviate these risks and improve students’ overall well-being.

How to Recognize When a Student is Masking

Because masking is often an unconscious or deeply ingrained behavior, it can be difficult to recognize. However, there are key signs that may indicate a student is masking:

• They seem socially ‘successful’ at school but are emotionally drained or exhausted at home.
• They exhibit increased anxiety or distress in structured social situations.
• They mimic peers’ behaviors but struggle with independent social interactions.
• They have sudden emotional outbursts or shutdowns after long periods of appearing ‘fine.’
• They use overly formal or scripted language in social interactions.

Recognizing these signs is the first step toward supporting neurodivergent students and encouraging a school culture that values authenticity over conformity.

Strategies to Create an Environment Where Students Feel Safe to Unmask

Creating a truly inclusive classroom means ensuring that neurodivergent students do not feel pressured to hide their true selves. Here are some strategies to help foster a supportive and affirming space:

1. Normalize Neurodivergent Communication Styles

• Allow students to engage in stimming behaviors without judgment.
• Encourage alternative forms of communication (e.g., AAC devices, writing, gestures).
• Teach all students that social differences, such as avoiding eye contact or using direct language, are valid and acceptable.

2. Build Trust and Psychological Safety

• Validate students’ feelings and encourage open discussions about their needs.
• Offer low-stress socialization opportunities, such as structured activities or parallel play options.
• Provide flexible classroom expectations, including movement breaks and quiet spaces.

3. Reframe Social Expectations

• Move away from requiring neurodivergent students to adhere to neurotypical norms (e.g., forced eye contact or standardized greetings).
• Teach neurotypical students about neurodiversity and the importance of accepting different social styles.
• Emphasize collaboration and understanding rather than conformity.

4. Foster Self-Advocacy

• Encourage students to express their needs without fear of judgment.
• Help students develop self-advocacy skills, such as requesting breaks or communicating preferred ways to participate in class.
• Celebrate students’ unique strengths and interests rather than focusing solely on social ‘success.’

5. Model Curiosity Without Judgment

• Ask open-ended questions that invite students to share their experiences (e.g., “I noticed you prefer to work alone—do you find it easy to focus?”).
• Create a classroom culture where different ways of thinking and interacting are valued.
• Acknowledge that everyone has different needs and communication preferences.

📹 Watch our webinar on Neurodiversity-Affirming Practices

By integrating neurodiversity-affirming practices into classrooms, we can move beyond compliance-based models and create truly inclusive learning environments where all students feel valued, understood, and empowered.

Final Thoughts

Masking is a complex and deeply ingrained survival strategy for many neurodivergent students, but it comes at a cost. As educators, we have the power to create learning environments where students feel safe to be themselves.

By normalizing neurodivergent communication, fostering psychological safety, and supporting self-advocacy, we can help all students thrive authentically—without fear of judgment or exclusion.

When students no longer feel pressure to mask, they gain the confidence to engage in learning and social interactions on their own terms. What small steps can you take today to make your classroom a more affirming space?