Challenging Assumptions About Autism
What assumptions do you have about autistic people? What do you think that you know about autism? How can you begin to challenge your assumptions?
The autism spectrum is NOT linear.
🚩 The problematic assumption: “The autism spectrum is linear and goes from less autistic to more autistic”
🚩 Another related assumption to challenge: “Everyone is a little bit autistic”
IMPORTANT: The level system is still the current model being used in the healthcare system. It serves to measure/ compare assumed support needs, primarily for insurance purposes.
Take a look at the fine print on that last slide and see if you can pick up where things start to get problematic…
Read on for more thoughts about “functioning”, the level system and addressing differing support needs…
Take a moment to consider what you might be inadvertently communicating with this response to someone telling you they are autistic…
What you might mean:
“I was not expecting that”
“I had no idea!”
“I’m impressed by your social skills”
“This totally challenges my assumptions about how autism presents”
“I am having a hard time understanding/ accepting this information”
What autistic people usually hear:
“No way”
“Prove it”
“I don’t believe you”
“I think you’re full of sh*t”
“You just want attention”
“So you want special treatment or something?”
“Why does it matter when you clearly blend in just fine?”
Alternate responses to try out:
“I feel so honored that you shared that with me!”
“Oh wow! That surprised me! How are you feeling about it?”
“Cool! Do you mind sharing how autism shows up for you?”
“Thank you for sharing that with me! Is there anything I can do to better support you?”
The next time someone tells you they are (or might be) autistic, give one of these alternate responses a try. Your words matter.
Problematic Assumption: “Higher functioning autistic people suffer less than lower functioning autistic people”
First off, do away with your assumptions about someone’s functioning. You don’t know.
The system currently in use by medical professionals is a “level” system, whereby an autistic person receives a specifier of level 1, 2, or 3 depending on their assumed level of support needs.
As described in the DSM-V, the level that someone is given reflects the severity of their autism and is determined by their outward presentation; their ability to socially participate and the observed severity of their restricted and repetitive behaviors.
High-maskers who from an outside perspective seem to be “functioning”, commonly fall into the level 1 category.
At a glance it seems that the level system could be beneficial for ensuring that autistic people who require substantial care gain access to the resources that they need. The actual impact, however, is that it makes assumptions about the support needs of autistic people and it reinforces an unhelpful habit of comparison of perceived suffering.
One study suggests that “camouflaging autistic traits is associated with increased risk of experiencing thwarted belongingness and lifetime suicidality”
(Cassidy et al., (2020) Is camouflaging autistic traits associated with suicidal thoughts and behaviors? Expanding the interpersonal psychological theory of suicide in an undergraduate student sample)
This could mean that the ability to mask autistic traits might actually put someone at a higher risk for suicide while simultaneously earning them a level 1 diagnosis.
It’s going to be a while before the medical system catches up.
Let’s get the most vulnerable autistic people, often with co-occurring diagnoses, the support that they need. Let’s get the rest of the autistic community the support that they need too.
Let’s focus on supporting the differing needs that all autistic people have instead of fixating on who needs less or more.
