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What are your thoughts on the term "High Functioning"?

Jalapeno

I've noticed quite a few autistic people on this forum describing themselves as "high functioning." I'm genuinely interested in hearing why people choose to use this label.

Personally, I dislike it and would prefer not to see it being used.

From the outside, based on my qualifications and career, many people would probably describe me as "high functioning." Yet I still struggle with many aspects of daily life and work, and I worry the label makes those difficulties seem less significant or suggests I need little support or reasonable adjustments, which isn't the case.

I'm also not convinced that the Levels 1, 2 and 3 always solve the problem, as our support needs can vary enormously depending on the environment we're in.

I also wonder whether some people use "high functioning" simply to mean they don't have a learning disability. If so, wouldn't it be clearer just to say that?

For those who do use the term, what benefit do you feel it provides—for yourself or when explaining your autism to other people? I'm genuinely interested in hearing different perspectives.

NAS - any thoughts on running a poll on this ?

Parents

  • While I've never looked at the model as it is defined by those who made it, I find the concept of the nuerodiversity wheel on point, given the overlap between ASD and other nuerodiverse conditions. 

    I'm not sure how helpful that is in this particular debate, but I think that, if set up and assessed against correctly, could be a good tool in a needs based assesment system...

    Perhaps that would in turn bring with it more needs based terminology, in that the area(s) of most need would become the things talked about: ie I'm autistic (or perhaps even neurodiverse?) with a high social communication need.

    I wonder if that would be more helpful? I haven't done any research around it or anything - I literally had the idea years ago when looking at a hop flavour characteristic wheel and then discovered it was a(n early) thing!

Reply

  • While I've never looked at the model as it is defined by those who made it, I find the concept of the nuerodiversity wheel on point, given the overlap between ASD and other nuerodiverse conditions. 

    I'm not sure how helpful that is in this particular debate, but I think that, if set up and assessed against correctly, could be a good tool in a needs based assesment system...

    Perhaps that would in turn bring with it more needs based terminology, in that the area(s) of most need would become the things talked about: ie I'm autistic (or perhaps even neurodiverse?) with a high social communication need.

    I wonder if that would be more helpful? I haven't done any research around it or anything - I literally had the idea years ago when looking at a hop flavour characteristic wheel and then discovered it was a(n early) thing!

Children
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