Views on the diagnostic labels of autism and Asperger's disorder and the proposed changes in the DSM.
Professionals once feared that the 'autism' label sounded harsher than 'Asperger's,' and later studies show the label itself can bias perception.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Capio et al. (2013) asked 547 professionals what they thought about the words 'autism' and 'Asperger's.' The team used an online survey. They wanted to know if dropping the Asperger's label in the new DSM-5 would bother clinicians.
What they found
Half of the professionals did not want to lose the Asperger's label. They said the word 'autism' sounds more stigmatizing than 'Asperger's.' The survey showed strong feelings about keeping a separate name.
How this fits with other research
Civile et al. (2019) later proved the label itself hurts. They showed that calling a face 'autistic' made viewers worse at recognizing it. The lab result backs up the survey's warning that the word carries stigma.
Müller et al. (2017) moved the debate further. Four years after the DSM-5 dropped Asperger's, they argued we should keep the broad 'ASD' label in research. Their piece answers newer calls to scrap even the umbrella term.
Kim et al. (2024) scanned 26 stigma-reduction programs. Most were one-time videos with weak proof. The review shows we still lack good tools to fix the exact stigma Capio et al. (2013) spotted.
Why it matters
Your choice of words shapes how others see your clients. If you must use a label, pair it with strengths. Try saying 'autistic learner who loves trains' instead of just 'autistic.' Small wording shifts can cut stigma on Day 1.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
With the approaching release of the DSM V in 2013, there has been much debate about the proposal to remove the diagnostic label of Asperger's disorder from the new DSM. This study explored how health and education professionals perceive the conditions of autism and Asperger's disorder and their views on the proposed diagnostic changes. Analysis of the 547 participant responses confirmed an increase stigma is associated with the label of autism, with autism considered to be a more severe than the condition of Asperger's disorder. Approximately half of the participants reported being opposed to proposed diagnostic changes and of the remaining participants, 22% supported the proposed changes and 28% expressed uncertainty.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2013 · doi:10.1007/s10803-012-1718-2