Beeinträchtigter

Beeinträchtigter is a German noun that refers to a person who has a Beeinträchtigung, an impairment affecting bodily, sensory, or mental functions. The term is derived from the verb beeinträchtigen (to impair) and the noun Beeinträchtigung (impairment). It has appeared in medical, administrative, and everyday language for more than a century.

In modern usage, Beeinträchtigter can carry stigmatizing or reductionist undertones because it centers the impairment rather than the person. Many style guides and disability-rights organizations prefer person-first language, such as eine Person mit Behinderung or eine Person mit Beeinträchtigung, to emphasize the individual rather than the condition. Depending on the context, alternatives like Person mit Beeinträchtigung or simply Beeinträchtigung (as a medical or technical term) may be used.

The terminology around disability in German-speaking regions distinguishes between impairments (Beeinträchtigung) and disabilities (Behinderung). This distinction influences language choices in policy, healthcare, and media, where the aim is to describe individuals respectfully and accurately without defining them by their limitations. Some older texts or certain institutional usages may still encounter Beeinträchtigter, but contemporary discourse generally favors formulations that foreground the person.

See also: Behinderung, Beeinträchtigung, Behinderter, Person mit Behinderung.