The circumstances that the autistic person finds themselves to be in - these vary from individual to individual and also are cumulative in effect in my experience.
I would add that these are broadly socially defined. For example, I am perhaps "high functioning" however put me in the Amazon Jungle and ask me to survive and I and those people indigenous to that place might somewhat disagree...
Okay, so here’s another way of conceptualizing it:
High functioning = Low support Low functioning = High support
I agree with ArchaeC , support terms are a little more acceptable than the functioning terms. Everyone with Autism needs a certain level of support, but some need a great deal more support than others. So for example: I am low support since I need very little support, but I still need some help with executive functioning and some more complex tasks like filing for taxes.
A particular area of reflection has been the use of the terms: ‘high-functioning’ and ‘low-functioning’ to describe an autistic person’s ability to function in society.
Functioning labels are not a diagnostic tool and are not a part of the DSM-5. Their helpfulness can be contradictory and can have a significant impact on the lives of autistic people and how we may be perceived by others.
Here’s how they can be harmful and how we might better describe the needs and abilities of autistic people.
Why are these labels harmful?
They invalidate the needs of autistic people.
‘High-functioning’ refers to autistic people who can generally function well in society, often through masking their autistic behaviours from others by copying “normal” behaviours. ‘Low-functioning’ refers to autistic people who cannot generally function well in society and may need more support. One person may be labelled as high-functioning because they are able to communicate well, make eye contact or show empathy – but this label can suggest that someone that may be able to ‘function well’ doesn’t struggle as much as another person labelled as ‘low-functioning’, or is less autistic.
You cannot be a ‘little bit’ autistic. Autistic people may find it harder to be believed or supported by those around them if they are associated with a higher level of functioning, and their needs can be overlooked, meaning that they can feel invalidated, let down and excluded. Remember: in your interactions, it is likely that you are only getting a small glimpse into an individual’s life and, behind closed doors, this person may be experiencing burnout, shutdowns, or meltdowns from the extra effort required to function well in society.
I prefer to use the terms autistic people with low support needs or autistic people with high support needs.These terms are generally accepted within the autistic community, although some people choose not to use them.
