Pathological Demand Avoidance
Pathological demand avoidance syndrome (PDA) is a *condition in which individuals resist and avoid the ordinary demands of life, using skillful strategies which are socially manipulative (distracting adults, using excuses, appearing to become physically incapacitated).
Researchers have suggested that following defining criteria for diagnosis of pathological demand avoidance syndrome
- Passive early history in first year
- Continues to resist and avoid ordinary demands of life
- Surface sociability, but apparent lack of sense of social identity, pride, or shame
- Lability of mood, impulsive, led by need to control
- Comfortable in role play and pretending
- Language delay, seems result of passivity
- Obsessive behaviour
- Neurological involvement
*Please note: Pathological demand avoidance syndrome is not recognised as a condition by the majority of medical practitioners or diagnosticians and does not appear in any of the major diagnostic manuals.
Related Glossaries
Related Publications
There are 3 publications matching this term. Click Here to view the list (New Window).
About This Glossary
This glossary is designed to explain some of the jargon and gobbledygook used by some people when they talk about autism or research..
You may be able to find more information, including links to other parts of this website, by clicking on the title of an item.
If you know of any other items we should include in this section, please email info@informationautism.org.
Please note that we reserve the right not to include an item if we feel that it is not appropriate.
Disclaimer
The fact that an intervention is listed in this glossary does not necessarily mean that we agree with its use. Nor does it necessarily mean that there is any scientifically valid or reliable evidence behind it.