On Auticulate.co.uk we use Identity First Language which means we will refer to people as ‘Autistics’ rather than ‘people with Autism’. That’s because we believe that Autism isn’t an accessory but an intrinsic part of being human – an identity (Sinclair, 2013).
‘Autistics’ is also predominantly the preferred term of the Autistic community (Kenny, et al., 2016; Buijsman et al., 2022; Bury et al., 2022).
We categorically believe that Autism is not a disorder but instead a different way of perceiving the world (Milton, 2014). It would be important to note that framing Autism as a ‘disorder’ harms Autistic people (Beardon, 2021).
The Medical model of Autism views Autism as a deficit that needs a cure (Laing, 1971). This is not what we subscribe to here at Auticulate.
ABA or Applied Behavioural Analysis are conditioning methods often used to ‘normalise’ or reduce Autistic characteristics but leads to a heightened risk of PTSD (Kupferstein, 2018; McGill & Robinson, 2020). We do not support this and will not provide any information about it.
The social model of disability views Autism as a different human experience that should be embraced and not eradicated (Oliver, 1981).
The predicament model of Autism is our preferred model because it embraces each Autistic person’s experience as relative only to them. There’s no reference made to ‘low or high functioning’ and no comparisons to anything other than themselves (Anderson-Chavarria, 2021). There is no one else like you – compare yourself only with yourself.
The Neurodiversity Paradigm identifies Autism as a natural human neurological experience – divergent to the assumed PNT (Singer, 1998). It focuses on the individual human experience rather than the deficit (Jurgens, 2020; Kapp, 2020).
Masking
‘Masking/camouflaging/echo-praxis’ is essentially mimicking the PNT to avoid the punishment associated with exhibiting ‘autistic’ behaviours (Smitten, 2022).
Rachel’s personal conceptualisation of masking is as follows: “I consistently and perpetually self analyse, compare, modify, disassemble and reassemble my identity to the point of not only losing my true identity but the imposter I’ve been forced to create and own is so damaged that their existence, the space they take up and justification of value is always questioned and the go-to response is always suicidal ideation.”
Other terms you will see us use:
Executive Function – EF (Corbett et al. 2009).
Executive Function Inhibition – EFI (Barkley, 1997).
Autistics – Autistic people.
Predominant Neuro-Type (PNT) – ‘neurotypical’ or not-Autistic (Beardon, 2008).
Polytropism – Poly meaning more than one – Polytropic minds have a broader range of interests/tasks engaged, simultaneously drawing on external and internal data (Murray, 2018).
Monotropism – Mono meaning one – Monotropic minds have a tighter selection of interests/tasks engaged, drawing on either external or internal feedback independently (Murray, 2018). This processing style exists in Autistic ‘society’.
Monotropic split – Distress and trauma caused by having the Polytropic expectations of the PNT placed on the Monotropic capacities of Autistics (Adkin, 2022).
Spiky profile – Autistics can be proficient in one skill but disabled in others – like this ^v^v^ (Jae, 2021). I can simultaneously interpret between two languages with ease, but I can’t sort laundry. The PNT profile, on the other hand, has smoother transitions/contrast between skill proficiency and inability – here’s a visual to help: ‘~~~’ – like a ‘jack of all trades’.
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