Unveiling the Perceptions of Autism-Related Chinese Language Among the Autism Community and the General Public

Background: Recently, the discussion surrounding autism-related language has gained prominence within Western autism communities, but studies about how people perceive Chinese autism-related language are notably scarce. Methods : We conducted an online survey between June 23 and July 29, 2023, targeting Chinese language users (mostly from the Chinese mainland) using convenience sampling. Utilizing 7-point scales, our study aimed to assess preferences, perceptions of offensiveness, and familiarity with 13 autism-related terms categorized into formal terminologies, functioning labels, and community terms. A diverse sample of 1,016 individuals, aged 14.75 to 72.49 years, participated. We employed analysis of variance models to analyze distinctions and similarities across identity groups, including autism stakeholders and the general public. To further explore the underlying attitudes, we employed cluster analysis to group individuals based on their endorsements of the terms. Results : Among the respondents, the Chinese translations of Neurodiversity (神经多样性), Spectrum (谱系), and Autism1 spectrum disorder (孤独症谱系障碍) emerged as highly favored and low offensive terms, particularly among autistic individuals and parents of autistic children. In contrast, the respondents generally considered Closed-off kid (闭娃), High/low function (高/低功能), Autism2 (自闭症), and Autism2 spectrum disorder (自闭症谱系障碍) less favored and more offensive. Cluster analysis identified variable attitude clusters, revealing no uniform perception across and within different identity groups. Conclusions : While different identity groups demonstrated some similarities in their perception of autism-related terms, our findings highlight the lack of a universally accepted approach to discussing Chinese autism-related terms. This research extends the discourse on autism-related terminology beyond Western contexts and highlights the social identity and cultural aspects in the translation and construction of autism-related terminologies.