A review of scholarly writings has shown that person-first language is more frequently used when discussing individuals with more stigmatized disabilities (e.g. developmental disabilities) than when discussing less stigmatized disabilities (e.g. physical disabilities).

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Arranging a sentence so as to put the noun referring to a person before the affliction, disease, or disability.
Example: saying "person with a disability" rather than "disabled person"

Person-First Language

Gernsbacher, M.A. (2017), Editorial Perspective: The use of person-first language in scholarly writing may accentuate stigma. The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 58: 859-861. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.12706

Editorial Perspective: The use of person-ﬁrst language in scholarly writing may accentuate stigma

Person-first language aims to encourage people to seek treatment in regard to drug abuse by reducing the shame they feel.

- Ex: Jenny is a heroin addict vs. Jenny is someone who is addicted to heroin
- Ex: People who inject Drugs


Person-First Language and Drug Prevention

Some use person-first language in an attempt to emphasize one's personhood over their disability and equalize those with and without disabilities. However, others argue that person-first language is not used equally and does not acknowledge the important role that one's disability may play in shaping their identity.

Controversy about the use of Person-First Language

Although proponents of person-first language often encourage its use for both individuals with and without disabilities, scholarly writings are substantially more likely to use person-first language when discussing individuals with disabilities than when discussing those without disabilities.

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