Predict future popularity of terms “Aspergers”, “Aspie”

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The term “Aspergers” was used very occasionally prior to 1981 in psychology journals. At that time Lorna Wing proposed and started lobbying for “Aspergers Syndrome” to be a separate diagnosis. Her efforts came to fruition within 13 years. In 1999 Liane Holiday Wiley who was diagnosed with Aspergers was the first to put the term “Aspie” in print.

The concept of Aspergers has always been controversial. To the dismay of some the terms gained considerable popularity both inside the Autism community and in the media during the 2000s. Predictions of the terms demise peaked in 2013 when the DSM subsumed the “Aspergers Disorder” diagnosis into the “Autism Spectrum Disorder” diagnosis and again last year when two historians published works claiming that Hans Asperger was complicit in Nazi Eugenics. Outside of a some on twitter disowning the terms the terms seem to have retained their popularity.

I hope this thread does not become another debate about the merits of the diagnosis and the terminology, there are plenty of threads to necrobump if you want to do that.

Last edited by ASPartOfMe on 22 May 2019, 1:33 pm, edited 2 times in total.

I did not put in an option for the complete elimination of terms as I do not think it is realistic especially in the social media era. If you feel that will happen that is what the “Other” is for.

Up until last year I would have voted for the terms becoming fringe as less and less people grow up with the Aspergers diagnosis. I figured the only people still using the terms would be old people and diehard “lost cause” types. But the terms popularity have proved resilient. If an association with Nazi eugenics in this era of call out culture and being offended by microagressions barely makes a dent I can’t think of anything that can make a significant difference. My guess for the reasons are the autistic aversion to change and the appeal of aspie stereotype of the misunderstood socially awkward genius.

It has been only 6 years since the DSM 5 was published, so there are still a lot of people running around who were diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome. And most of those people are still young, because adult diagnosis is/was rare compared to childhood diagnosis.

And a lot of those people will probably continue to use the term "Asperger's" or "Aspie" until the day they die, most likely because of an autistic aversion to change AND because they feel that it is less stigmatizing than "autism." They might eventually reconcile themselves to the term "ASD" or "ASC" when talking to other people within the autism community itself, yet they might still prefer to use "Asperger's" in other, more socially delicate contexts, e.g. when mentioning it to a potential romantic partner for the first time.

I think they will be dead terms eventually.

Eventually, yes -- but eventually may be a very long time.

Asperger's, it should be remembered, will still be an "active" diagnosis at least until 2022, when the ICD-11 takes over from the ICD-10.

I believe, in subsequent years, that Asperger's will remain a "vernacular" term for somebody who seems socially awkward, nerdy, geeky, etc., and who seems to have some sort of difficulty in making transitions---and/or sensory difficulties.

You didn't give the option of "get even MORE popular than they are now".

It could happen. Few outside the autism community are aware of the terms, and as autism awareness rises more NTs are becoming aware of the terms. And NTs are the majority of the population. So despite what the DSM does - at the moment - the terms are trending toward increased, and not decreased usage. When it gets on the lips of NTs (the wider world of nts who do not have autistic family) the more it enters the common vernacular.

"Aspie" may peak in a few years and start to level off. But only if some better handier term comes along for "level one autistics without speech delay". If not I see no reason why it would not at least remain at the same level of popularity if not get more popular.

I hope 'Aspie' and 'Asperger's' die off sooner rather than later. I'm tired of having to explain to 'Aspies' that Asperger's and autism are one in the same!

And yes as someone whose original diagnosis was PDD-NOS I am indeed biased.

I hope the term "Aspie" suffers before it dies because it's the worst thing to call yourself ever. It's diminutive. Think about the difference between "dog" and "doggie" or "cat" and "kitty." It's something I'd expect children or my enemies (or my enemies that are children) to call me.

I'm less bothered as to whether the term remains popular or not ,than the fact it took ages for me(as it has for others) to get a referral and diagnosis.

Interesting.

My experience suggests that Austism and Asperghers are qualitively different with different causes.

I relate positively to "Aspie". It does not please me that some people feel they are entitled to go around dissing that which is a positive part of my identity.

A number of years back, I attended what I thought was an "aspie group" which had advertised on an "aspie" forum. When I arrived, the guy told me rather triumphantly, "Asperghers has been wiped off the map in DSV-5. It's autism now!"

It will disappear, to be replaced by the term Aspian. This be our animal:



As we discover more about the causes of 'Autism', I think the term Asperger's is going to have a resurgence.

First off

The expression is "one AND the same". Not "one IN the same". .

Second

Autism and aspergers are NOT "one and the same".

"Aspergers" is to "autism" as "Nebraska" is to "the United States".

Nebraska is a subdivision of the USA. And Aspergers is subset within autism. All Nebraskans are Americans, but not all Americans are Nebraskans. Likewise all aspies are autistics, but not all autistics (for example PDD Nos folks like yourself) are "aspies".

They're already considered outdated, but I don't care. It's the so called "correct" phrases such as "have autism" and high-functioning" that annoy and insult me. I was diagnosed with Asperger's. If it wasn't for the name finally coming out in public I may not have been diagnosed at all and spent the rest of my life not knowing why I'm the way I am and being called things like "lazy", selfish", "rude", "nasty", and on and on.

Umm. Asperges does make sense as it does seem a little different to Autism even though it is all similar. But a name is just a name. In a way it is good to know what is happening to oneself so the name is helpful. But never forget you are unique and you are you!

A resurgence of serpent Aspians?