In the past, the term “autism spectrum disorder” was adopted to encompass everything we labeled as autism under one category. The goal was to describe the variability in how people with autism act and behave, and the term “spectrum” was intended to cover the range of autistic individuals, from those who required minimal accommodation to those who needed much more.
Over time, non-autistic individuals began to refer to the spectrum as a linear scale, ranging from high to low functioning. For many, the idea of a spectrum has become a loaded term, and there is a growing belief that we should instead discuss autism as a wheel or pie. In this model, each slice represents a different trait, and every individual possesses distinct strengths and weaknesses.
People use different types of language when discussing autism. Some prefer person-first language, such as saying “an individual with autism,” as it emphasizes that individuals have identities beyond their diagnosis. Others prefer identity-first language, such as “autistic individual,” as this term recognizes that being autistic is an integral part of who they are.
UCLA CART acknowledges the diversity in perspectives on terminology for autism and will use person-first and identity-first language interchangeably throughout this website.
People may refer to individuals as having “Asperger’s” or “Asperger’s disorder.” However, this terminology is technically outdated. In 2013, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) removed that term, combining all autism diagnoses under the umbrella term “autism spectrum disorder.”
Researchers at UCLA CART aim to improve the lives of individuals with severe, rare forms of Autism Spectrum Disorder by developing new therapies and providing expert clinical care.
“One way to think about the features of autism is that they represent a neural diversity.”
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