Is Autism a Disability? The Perception of Autistic Adults in Quebec

Autism has long been viewed as a disorder characterized by persistent deficits in need of a cure. This medical or pathologizing perspective has been confronted by a social model of disability, which places the burden of the challenges faced by the autistic community on society's failure to accommodate neurological differences. A more nuanced, interactionist model suggests that disability arises from a poor fit between personal characteristics and environmental demands. As part of a mixed-method study on terminology pertaining to autism and related concepts, 14 French-speaking autistic adults from Quebec participated in semistructured interviews. They were asked their definitions of autism, the concept of disability, and whether autism is a disability. Qualitative analyses revealed that respondents were prone to view autism through the lens of a social model of disability. Autism was defined as a neurological difference rather than a mental illness. Although many conceptualized disability as a personal limitation, they were reluctant to label their diagnosis of autism as a disability. The difficulties they face stem from “disabling situations” due to environments and social norms tailored to a neurotypical majority of people. This aligns with the neurodiversity movement, which advocates social change while also recognizing the support needs of autistic individuals.