Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) is a proposed disorder and sub-type of autism spectrum disorder characterized by a greater-than-typical refusal to comply with requests or expectations and extreme avoidance of demands. Although PDA has its own traits that are separate from autism, people with PDA generally meet the diagnostic criteria by having significant difficulties in social interaction and communication. Alternatively, they may instead be diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD).
PDA is not a clinically recognized condition, and it does not appear in the international medical manual, the ICD, nor in the American medical manual, the DSM. However, some advocates of PDA think of it as a potential profile of autism, and it has been suggested that the presentation of a persistent and marked resistance to demands may overlap with other conditions, including complex post-traumatic stress disorder (cPTSD).
Children with PDA may find it difficult to find their place within the social hierarchy and can insist that they be treated as adults, disregarding parents’ role as authority figures. They often understand rules but don’t feel that they apply to themselves. They can also engage in behaviors that are intended to shock or upset others, for example, by asking personal questions, making loud inappropriate comments, or having meltdowns in front of peers. Children with PDA may enjoy doing role-plays, sometimes to the point where they appear to lose touch with reality. They may adopt the personality of someone or something for a long period of time (a person such as a teacher or an animal).
In conclusion, PDA is a proposed disorder and sub-type of autism spectrum disorder characterized by a greater-than-typical refusal to comply with requests or expectations and extreme avoidance of demands. Although it has its own traits that are separate from autism, people with PDA generally meet the diagnostic criteria by having significant difficulties in social interaction and communication. However, PDA is not a clinically recognized condition, and it does not appear in the international medical manual, the ICD, nor in the American medical manual, the DSM.
