TABLE 2.
Frequently occurring initial codes.
| Code | % cases |
| Autism labels (N = 269 cases) | |
| Poor social abilities | 15.20% |
| Range of severities | 10.40% |
| Dependent on others | 10.00% |
| Intelligent | 8.10% |
| Intellectual disability | 7.80% |
| Misunderstand social cues | 7.00% |
| Awkward | 6.70% |
| General deficits | 5.90% |
| General mental illness | 5.60% |
| Difficulties understanding emotions of others | 5.60% |
| Schizophrenia labels (N = 129 cases) | |
| Psychotic symptoms | 38.00% |
| General mental illness | 19.40% |
| Needs treatment | 13.20% |
| Multiple personalities/dissociative | 8.50% |
| Emotional instability | 7.80% |
| Can be managed | 7.80% |
| Unfairly stigmatized | 6.20% |
| Crazy | 5.40% |
| Brain disorder | 5.40% |
| Can live a “normal life” | 5.40% |
| General condition labels (N = 130 cases) | |
| Brain or behavioral conditions | 63.10% |
| Autism | 17.70% |
| Impaired functional abilities | 15.40% |
| Depression | 13.80% |
| Broad range/spectrum | 13.80% |
| Diagnosed by a doctor | 13.10% |
| Schizophrenia | 12.30% |
| Needs treatment | 8.50% |
| Anxiety | 6.90% |
| Mania/bipolar disorder | 6.20% |
| Dependent on others | 6.20% |
| Personality disorder | 5.40% |
| Developmental disability | 5.40% |
| Physical impairment | 5.40% |
| Not normal | 5.40% |
Text-based responses to an open-ended question about perceptions toward labels related to autism (ASD), schizophrenia (SCZ) or a general clinical condition (CDX) were analyzed using thematic analysis. Initial codes reported in greater than five percent of cases (NAUT = 15 cases, NSCZ = 7 cases, and NCDX = 7 cases) are reported for each category. Initial codes were used to help generate themes and subthemes within the data.