Autistic People’s Perspectives on Functioning Labels and Associated Reasons, and Community Connectedness

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Keates, N., Martin, F., & Waldock, K. E. (2024). Autistic People’s Perspectives on Functioning Labels and Associated Reasons, and Community Connectedness. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 55(4), 1318-1328. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-024-06316-3

Publication date: 20 Mar 2024 Added to AutiHub: 7 Jul 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
Publisher source (DOI) Full text OpenAlex source

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Authors

Publication authors
3
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 3 (33.3%)
  1. Nathan Keates
  2. Farradeh Martin
  3. Krysia Emily Waldock *

Abstract

Purpose: Functioning labels have been used in relation to autistic people and differentiating between support needs. The main purpose of our study was to identify perspectives regarding language about being autistic. In regard to themselves and functioning. Furthermore, we investigated the influential factor of community connectedness on use of language acceptability and functioning labels. Methods: 516 autistic respondents completed our survey. We asked about demographic characteristics, how respondents would like autistic people to be termed in the survey, and their acceptability (person with autism, Aspergers, disorder, conditions, living with autism, autistic). We also asked about respondents? Autistic Community Connectedness, acknowledging the implicit nature of language and identity (Stets & Serpe in New directions in identity theory and research, Oxford University Press, 2016). The main focus of our survey was whether or not to use functioning labels, and the supporting rationale. Results: 97% of respondents stated that they find the term ‘autistic’ acceptable. Respondents who did see merit in using functioning labels to describe autistic people also reported not necessarily using them about themselves. Community membership was found to impact the participants’ language preferences to describe the support needs of autistic people, including the use of functioning labels. Conclusion: The proposed best option for language preferences is not to find consensus but instead, opt for the optimal choice that people find the least offensive or disagreeable. This means using identity-first language and not using functioning labels.

Bibliography cited by this reference

Cited references are imported from external metadata sources when they are available. The list may be partial.

Cited bibliography overview

These indicators describe the bibliography cited by this publication. An author name is counted each time it appears in one cited reference, so the same person can be counted more than once. Names not yet linked to an author already present in AutiHub are treated as unknown, not as non-autistic. Last computed: 2 Oct 2026 08:05.

Cited references
60
With a DOI
47
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
10
16 / 60 (26.7%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
10 / 60 (16.7%)
References with detected author names
52 / 60 (86.7%)
Without detected author names
8
Without a structured title
10
Without a stable identifier
10
References with raw author names still to review
8
References with external metadata lookup issues
1
These indicators apply to cited references displayed on this page, after technical duplicates have been merged. A reference without a DOI can still support author statistics when a title and author names are available.
Author names detected in the cited bibliography
241
From DOI or external metadata
241
From validated raw bibliography text
0
Raw names already validated
0
Raw names still to review
9
170 / 241 (70.5%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 71 / 241 (29.5%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
89 / 241 (36.9%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. Among names linked to an author already present in AutiHub: 89 / 170 (52.4%). Distinct people identified as autistic: 48 / 188 (25.5%).
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