Which statement best describes person-first language in physical therapy?

• A. It places the disability before the person.
• B. It focuses on diagnosing the disability.
• C. It emphasizes the full person by placing the person before the condition.
• D. It uses identity-first labels by default.

Answer: (C)

Person-first language in physical therapy means referring to the person as a person first, then mentioning the condition. It shows respect for the individual’s dignity and keeps the person from being defined by a diagnosis. In practice, you’d say “a person with a disability” rather than labeling them as “the disabled.”

The statement that best describes this approach is the one that emphasizes the full person by placing the person before the condition. This reinforces patient-centered care and helps reduce stigma, making communication more respectful and inclusive.

The other ideas miss the point: placing the disability before the person contradicts person-first language; focusing on diagnosing the disability describes a clinical task, not how we talk about the person; and using identity-first labels by default describes a different approach to labeling that isn’t the standard definition of person-first language in this context. If a patient has a preference for identity-first language, that preference should be honored, but the general concept taught in physical therapy is to place the person first.