# Glossary

This glossary offers and explanation of terms, but also a guide for their use. AutSPACEs does not take a neutral stance when it comes to autism. Our values come from the autism rights movement, autism self-advocacy, and the attitudes and experiences of autistic community members, as well as being founded in scientific research conducted by, for, and with autistic people. We are interested in changing for the better how people think and talk about autism and how autistic people are treated. Autism doesn't speak - autistic people do.

> It may be worth using the red/amber/green approach for terms in the glossary - green for preferred terms, amber for complex ones which are contentious, and red for slurs or words you should never use/go against our values

## Autism-related terms

NAS has a guide about how to talk about autism here: https://dy55nndrxke1w.cloudfront.net/file/24/xT2FqU_xTh5_JA5xTMYZxb.dfV0x/NAS_How%20to%20talk%20and%20write%20about%20autism.pdf.

Milestones also has a glossary: https://www.milestones.org/resources/glossary - although I don't know much about this organisation. It seems to have a bit of "correcting" autism element (ick) but useful as a collection and to explain the terms (alongside the problems with some of the attitudes?)

**ABA (Applied Behavioural Analysis)** - (include explanation and critique)
**Accessible/accessibility**
**ADD
ADHD
**Alexithymia**
Autism
**Autism assessment**
Autism advocacy
**Autistic constellation**
**Autistic rights movement**
**Autistic Psychopathy**
**Autistic Savant**
**Autonomy**
**ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder)** - Another way of describing autism. Many people don't like it because it includes the word "disorder" which is a negative way of viewing autism. On the other hand, it reflects the fact that there are nuances to how autism is experienced (the spectrum).
**Aspberger's**
**Aspie**
**Combounding factors**
**Co-morbidity**
**Co-occuring conditions**
**Deficit**
**Disability** - While some autistic people may describe or see themselves as having a disability, autism is *not* a disability. You shouldn't describe people as disabled because they have autism, unless they explicitly want to be described in this way.
**Demographic**
**Developmental disorder**
**Diagnosis**
**Disability Rights Movement**
**Double Empathy Problem**
**DSM manual**
**Dyspraxia**
**Echolalia**
**Echopraxia**
**Emotional regulation**
**Epilepsy**
**Epistemological injustice**
**Eugenics**
**Executive functioning**
**Extreme male brain theory**
**High-functioning**
**Gender dysphoria**
**Genetic studies of autism**
**Hyper Empathy**
**Hyper Responsive**
**Hypo Responsive**
**Intersectionality**
**Intervention**
**IQ (Intelligence Quotient)**
**Learning differences**
**Learning disability**
**Legally appropriate adult**
**Legal guardian**
**Literal thinking**
**Little Professors**
**Lived experience**
**Low-functioning**
**Masking**
**Meltdown**
**Neurology**
**Neurodiversity/neurodiverse**
**Neurodivergence**
**Neurodiversity-affirming Therapy**
**Neurorealism**
**Non-verbal autism** - many people do not like the terms non-verbal
**OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)**
**ODD (Oppositional Defiance Disorder)**
**On the spectrum**
**PiP (personal independence payment)** https://www.gov.uk/pip
**Presuming competence**
**Proprioception**
**Rainman**
**Reinforcement**
**Regulatory and sensory systems** - These systems control a person’s ability to take in or register and respond to internal sensory input, external stimuli, and then adjust their emotional and behavioral response to those stimuli and the demands of their surroundings.
**Repetitive behaviours**
**Restricted interests**
**Rituals**
**Self-advocacy**
**Self-described**
**Self-diagnosed**
**Self-injurious behaviours**
**Sensory diet**
**Sensory Processing**
**Sensory stiumli**
**Sheldon Cooper**
**Social Model of Disability**
**Special interests**
**Special needs**
**Spoons**
**Stereotypical behaviours**
**Stereotypical interests**
**Stereotyping**
**Stimming**
**Trauma**
**Trigger**
**Vestibular sensing**

## Research terms

Citizen science
Participatory research

## Technical terms

**Assistive technology**
**Data**
**Dataset**
**Platform**
**Screenreader**

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