1. Negative Impact of
Labels
Negative or derogatory
names can have serious effects on people with disabilities.
Stigma: Negative labels
can create stereotypes and prejudice.
Isolation: Hurtful
language can contribute to rejection, bullying, and social exclusion.
Devaluation: Insulting
labels can make people feel that they are less valuable or less capable.
Mental health: Repeated
exposure to discrimination and slurs can contribute to stress, anxiety, low
self-esteem, and emotional distress.
Barriers to inclusion:
Labels can cause others to make assumptions about a person's abilities instead
of seeing the individual.
Key idea
A person's disability is
only one part of who they are. A label should never define the person's worth,
abilities, or identity.
2. Historical Labels
Some words that are now
considered offensive originally had medical, psychological, or legal meanings.
Idiot, imbecile, and moron
These terms were
historically used as classifications for levels of intellectual functioning.
Over time, they became common insults and lost their usefulness as professional
terms.
"Mental
retardation"
This was once a widely
used professional term for what is now generally called intellectual
disability. Because the word retarded became widely used as a derogatory
insult, professional organisations moved away from the terminology.
Today, intellectual
disability (ID) is the preferred clinical term in many professional settings.
3. Person-First and
Identity-First Language
Person-first language
Places the person before
the disability:
"A person with an
intellectual disability."
The idea is that the
person is more than their disability.
Identity-first language
Places the disability
identity first:
“Autistic person."
Some people prefer
identity-first language because they see their disability as an important part
of who they are.
Important point
There isn't one form of
language that every disabled person prefers.
The best approach is to
respect the individual's preference.
4. Intellectual Disability
Classification
A major point to remember
is that intellectual disability is not classified by IQ alone.
Professionals consider
adaptive functioning, which means how well a person manages everyday life.
This includes areas such
as:
Conceptual skills:
communication, reading, writing, money, time, and problem-solving
Social skills:
communication, relationships, social judgment, and understanding social
situations
Practical skills: personal
care, work, transportation, safety, and managing daily activities
Levels of Support
Level General description
Mild A person may develop many everyday and work
skills and may live relatively independently with appropriate support.
Moderate A person generally needs ongoing support with
daily living, communication, learning, and social activities.
Severe A person usually needs substantial support
with communication, self-care, and everyday activities.
Profound A person generally requires very substantial,
ongoing support across most areas of daily life.
⭐ Important correction
It is better not to
memorise these levels as simply "mild = independent" and
"profound = constant care."
Modern classification
focuses on the amount and type of support a person needs, particularly their
adaptive functioning. Two people with the same IQ can have very different
abilities and support needs.
🧠 Easy Way to Remember
Labels → Stigma → Impact → Respect → Support
Labels have changed over
time.
Negative labels can create
stigma.
Stigma can impact a
person's dignity and wellbeing.
Use respectful language
and listen to the person's preferences.
Focus on abilities,
adaptive functioning, and support needs, rather than making assumptions from a
label.
⭐ Exam point
Intellectual disability
involves limitations in intellectual functioning and adaptive functioning,
beginning during the developmental period. Support needs and adaptive
functioning are more important for determining severity than IQ alone.
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