Pathological Demand Avoidance

Steampunk illustration of a white mother wearing a yellow dress, standing with her back to a small child with spiky hair who is leaning into the mother's back. The mother is holding a metal spinner device.

Grave Concerns About “Profound Autism” and Diagnostic Overshadowing

September 4, 2023 • By Shannon Des Roches Rosa

We spoke with autistic academics Richard Woods, Kathryn Williams, and C.A. Watts about their recently published letter explaining why “profound autism” bungles the support needs of autistic people with co-occurring conditions, and will endanger autistic lives.

Questioning the Pathological Part of PDA: A Talk With Dr. Deborah Budding

June 29, 2023 • By Shannon Des Roches Rosa

The thing about PDA or “Pathological Demand Avoidance” is that there are a lot of reasons why someone would resist doing something, and it’s often more complex than it appears on the surface.