'Coming Out' with Autism: Identity in People with an Asperger's Diagnosis After DSM-5.

Lindly et al. (2020) talked with adults who once carried an Asperger’s label.

They wanted to know how these adults felt when DSM-5 moved them into the broader autism spectrum.

The team asked about identity, not symptoms, and found that age, gender, or schooling did not predict who accepted the new label.

People who had already woven Asperger’s into their sense of self often rejected the ASD tag.

Those still exploring identity were more open to the change.

Stage of identity integration, not demographics, shaped each person’s reaction.

Wilson et al. (2013) warned that DSM-5 can drop roughly half of bright adults who used to qualify under ICD-10R.

That looks like a clash: one paper says the label vanishes, the other says clients refuse it.

The gap is about viewpoint: Ellie counted who still met criteria, Olivia asked who wanted the label even if they met it.

Bao et al. (2017) later showed child diagnoses plateaued after DSM-5, backing the idea that tighter rules shrink caseloads.

Together the studies tell us: some adults lose the diagnosis on paper, others keep it but dislike it.

When you write reports or explain results, check how attached the client is to the old Asperger term.

Offer both labels if that eases identity strain, and document service needs no matter which code you use.