Understanding Social Functioning in Autism: The role of Theory of Mind and Social Camouflaging

Autism spectrum condition (ASC) is known to be associated with differences in social functioning, yet the cognitive and behavioral factors underlying these difficulties remain unclear. Theory of Mind (ToM) and social camouflaging have both been proposed as relevant factors, although their relationships with social functioning remains unknown. This study investigated whether ToM and social camouflaging were associated with friendship quality, friendship quantity, and loneliness in a sample of autistic adults and neurotypical controls. The study included 61 Italian adults (24 autistic adults and 37 controls) who completed measures of ToM, social camouflaging, friendship quality, friendship quantity, and loneliness. Analyses examined group differences and associations between ToM, social camouflaging, and indicators of social functioning. Autistic participants reported significantly lower friendship quality and fewer friendships, alongside significantly higher social camouflaging, than controls. No significant group difference was observed in ToM, and the difference in loneliness did not reach statistical significance. ToM was not significantly associated with friendship quality, friendship quantity, or loneliness, and these associations did not differ between groups. Similarly, social camouflaging was not significantly associated with individual measures of social functioning, although its association with social functioning differed depending on the specific social outcome that was examined. Overall, the findings suggest that ToM alone does not explain differences in social functioning in autism and highlight social camouflaging as another potentially relevant, but multidimensional, factor in autistic social experiences. These findings emphasize the importance of considering multiple dimensions of social functioning when investigating the social experiences of autistic adults. Keywords: Autism Spectrum Condition, Theory of Mind, social camouflaging, friendship quality, friendship quantity, loneliness