Preferences for Identity-First and Person-First Language: A Systematic Review of Research With Autistic Adults/Adults
Rachel K Schuck1, Lacey Chetcuti2,3, Patrick Dwyer4
1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA. rschuck@stanford.edu.
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
|December 13, 2025
Summary
Autistic people show no clear consensus on preferred language, with some preferring identity-first language and others person-first language. Respecting individual preferences is crucial for researchers and clinicians.
Area of Science:
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Linguistic Studies
- Community Health
Background:
- Language used to describe autism often centers on person-first language (PFL) or identity-first language (IFL).
- Recent empirical research has explored autistic community language preferences, but consensus remains elusive.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and analyze prior research on the autistic community's preferences for person-first language versus identity-first language.
- To identify trends and variations in preferred and acceptable autism-related terminology.
Main Methods:
- A systematic review of 19 quantitative studies involving 6350 autistic individuals was conducted.
- Data on preferred and acceptable autism language terms were extracted from online studies.
Main Results:
- A majority of studies indicated a preference for identity-first language (IFL) over person-first language (PFL), though significant PFL endorsement was also noted.
- Acceptability of IFL terms was high (40-97%), while PFL terms were endorsed by 5-53% of participants.
- A notable percentage of participants (4-37%) expressed no preference or accepted either term; study populations may not represent the full autism spectrum.
Conclusions:
- No definitive consensus exists regarding whether autistic individuals prefer IFL or PFL, with preferences varying across and within cultures.
- Considerations for researchers, clinicians, and the autism community are presented to ensure individual language preferences are respected.
- Further research is needed to understand nuanced preferences across diverse autistic populations.
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