The diagnostic criteria that involve identifying socialization difficulties in those with Autism Spectrum Disorder may not be clearly evident in every autistic individual, as some individuals will attempt to mask, or hide, their autistic traits. Therefore, an autistic individual may:

• Force eye contact
• Become hypervigilant towards others’ nonverbal cues and emotions
• Avoid talking about their own intense interests in order to prevent themselves from rambling
• Remain in overwhelming social situations despite having a desire to leave

Masking can pose a significant obstacle to diagnosis for autistic individuals— their mask may be so convincing that clinicians do not notice their underlying autistic traits. Masking is particularly common in autistic women and those with an average to high IQ, and these individuals are the most likely to go undiagnosed.