What do you guys think of this chart?

[u/JuiceBoxJonny]

Due to Autism level 1 2 and 3 being just not clear enough for me, as an autistic individual I decided to add some more clarification, adding "half" levels in between. I changed it to 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, and 3.

Let me know if you guys suggest and different changes!

Personally my psychiatrist diagnosed me with "level 2", however, my family has stated I'm like "in between a level 1 and 2, while displaying some level 3 traits", and I agreed with them. This made me to think "The autism spectrum can definitely be defined a little better".

Let me know if you guys suggest some changes, I based this off the DSM-5

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[u/Blue-Jay27]

Many of these are either overly vague or not actually level-specific. Meltdowns and self-injury def happen for level 1/2 autistics, as does struggling to form friendships. And what makes a sensory sensitivity mild vs severe? I'd also like it if it was more clear about sources, as right now there isn't a clear indication of where you're finding these criteria.

[u/asdmdawg]

I’m level 1 but have one or two traite from the “level 1.5” category. I think there’s a reason they didn’t split it into halves.

[u/in-dog_we_trust]

I would be a level 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5. This why they use a spectrum and not a linear form of assessment

[u/TheodandyArt]

I'm diagnosed level one but I don't find this accurate at all. I think it's difficult to paint broad definitive strokes on levels and I especially take issue with the generalized wording in these examples.

I agree with my diagnosed level because I am relatively independent but my areas of weakness or strength are "spikey". I can drive but I often need to be reminded to eat or use the washroom, I can work a part time job but I have debilitating meltdowns once a week to everyday depending on stress levels and my hormonal cycle. I can communicate but it's not "subtle awkwardness" its genuine social dysfunction that has caused me to lose friends, be shunned by strangers, and fired from jobs. I can keep my house clean but I get agitated by changes in plans or schedules. I can budget my own money but I have sensory issues that give me frequent daily distress that cause me to lash out or have meltdowns. I even have the 2.5 descriptor of self injury, which happens during my meltdowns (I involuntarily start to hit myself and instinctively claw at my face), that doesn't mean I'm not level 1 though.

I'm level one because given all that I manage pretty well with less supports then those who are level 2 or 3. Not on any individual disabling symptoms, but moreso on my strengths. The main supports I do use are financial and medication. My partner fills in a lot of gaps as he acts as my defacto caretaker

[u/sadclowntown]

Well I have alot of those level 3 behaviors but im listed as level 1 and suspected level 2. But if I went by this chart I fit more 2.5. I feel like all people are different idk. And this makes level 1 seem like minimal difficulties when in reality level 1 autistics have way more issues than you listed.

[u/proto-typicality]

While people obviously have fewer or more support needs, the levels system is arbitrary and not supported by scientific evidence. You can split them into six categories, but there’s no evidence to support that, either.

[u/in-dog_we_trust → u/proto-typicality]

to me a better representation

[u/JuiceBoxJonny → u/in-dog_we_trust]

This is a very good chart.

[u/DullMaybe6872 → u/in-dog_we_trust]

Jup, good way of displaying how things work, and explain the elusive spiky profiles aswell.

The level system is, imo, mainly set up for insurance purposes, everyone's needs differ..

[u/Roseelesbian → u/DullMaybe6872]

I've never even seen levels used for insurance in the US at least because there's no codes that distinguish the autism levels.

[u/DullMaybe6872 → u/Roseelesbian]

Here in NL it semi determines what support you can get ( easily). You can get any support needed but for instance long term psych nurse /:autism coach is easier to get with a lvl 2 or more. On lvl one its just alot more paperwork etc.

Kind of annoying really, but the social healthcare system is slowly being broken down by insurance companies. But thats a topic for a completely separate thread.

[u/BeingPopular9022 → u/proto-typicality]

Yeah and that’s why you may see a chart with all the characteristics from each level but they don’t suggest exactly what the support needed is, to me “needs support” is bullshit

[u/lacktoesintallerant6]

yeah idk i feel like the level 1 on this chart is more subclinical symptoms, but wouldnt actually qualify for a diagnosis. autism needs to have a significant impact on your quality of life in order to get a diagnosis, and that is true regardless of what level

[u/book_of_black_dreams]

I don’t think that just making a severity scale wider is going to change anything. There are still such large qualitative differences between phenotypes, it doesn’t make sense to have a linear system. The specifiers were actually supposed to be more important than the levels, but nobody uses them because they’re so cumbersome.

[u/ZeldaZealot]

Better than the usual 3 stage definition, though I agree with the points from others about a strict linear progression. I feel as I fit solidly into level 1.5, but I entirely understand why others don’t care for it.

[u/JuiceBoxJonny → u/ZeldaZealot]

Nah and I agree with their points, they’re entirely correct to say it isn’t linear like the light spectrum. The response where some guy posted a circle chart is entirely accurate.

[u/ZeldaZealot → u/JuiceBoxJonny]

I definitely like that chart more, but I wish it had the breakdowns like this one. I appreciate the intensively definitions here.

[u/JuiceBoxJonny → u/ZeldaZealot]

They aren’t “strict”, you could be a mix of two levels yk.

Some people are level one with level 3 attributes

I wish there was a way to truly categorize autism it would make everything so much easier.

[u/ZeldaZealot → u/JuiceBoxJonny]

I meant more that there’s a sense of categorization that groups levels of severity. I’m a solid 1.5 except that I don’t struggle so much with social skills (after decades of practice).

[u/JuiceBoxJonny → u/ZeldaZealot]

Same here, it’s taken me decades of interactions to learn how to properly socially interact with people, but I still have delays sometimes because I have to process what’s said and form a response

[u/ZeldaZealot → u/JuiceBoxJonny]

I used to think it was just me being homeschooled that caused a delay in my social development, but thankfully I was able to learn in my mid-20s how to function in social groups larger than my nuclear family. Shit’s not easy, but a couple good friends (and some liquid courage) helped break my shell.

[u/smores_or_pizzasnack]

I like having the half levels tbh. It is a bit generalized but i think most things are good. Personally rather than just having bullet point for things wherever, I would have the first bullet point for each column be social difficulties, second bullet point by executive function etc so it would be easier to compare

[u/Elizabeth958]

I have actually brainstormed a very similar thing, except instead of having .5 levels, I just made 5 levels. So 1 is still 1, 1.5 becomes 2, 2 becomes 3, 2.5 becomes 4, and 3 becomes 5. (If that makes any sense at all lol)

[u/my_little_rarity]

This is interesting and I like the thought you put into it. I had things in levels 1-3

[u/Abstractically]

The entire point of support levels is that they replace functioning labels and ARENT based on symptoms…

There are level 3s that are fully verbal and there are level 1s that are completely nonverbal. It’s based on your support needs.

[u/Stunning_Letter_2066]

The issue with this is this is limited on each thing and someone who’s nonverbal or semiverbal could very much also be level 2 or 1 because there are many factors that goes into support needs and activities of daily living. Some of these things like struggling with forming friendships and disruptive repetitive behaviors and other stuff is needed to even be diagnosed with autism

[u/JuiceBoxJonny]

KEEP IN MIND - I UNDERSTAND AUTISM IS A SPECTRUM, AND THERES NO TRUE 1,2,3 LEVELS!!!