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The construct of pathological or extreme demand avoidance (EDA) is used to describe the experience of avoiding demands and having an extreme need for control. However, the EDA construct is contested by researchers and educational psychology practitioners. To investigate the utility and validity of the construct of EDA, this qualitative study explor...
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... Breda's perspective should be balanced with the perspective of psychologists in recent research which explored their views regarding the utility of the PDA as a profile during the assessment aspect of their practice (Haire et al., 2023). The participating psychologists reported not finding foregrounding PDA profile descriptors as being useful within the diagnostic process, finding its terminology medicalising and unhelpful. ...
... They employed various methods to collaborate with the adults in children's environments, emphasising transactional interactions and embracing diversity. Because of their focus on systemic approaches, psychologists are adept at integrating neurodiversity into their practice (Haire et al., 2023). This approach is potentially at odds with the emphasis Breda put on using the PDA profile formulation as foundational within the diagnostic process, but the psychologist's preferences do echo the recommendations for individualised profiles with assessment (e.g., see Kildahl et al., 2021). ...
This study explores the lived experiences of adults with Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) in Ireland. There is a paucity of research exploring the experience of those living with PDA in Ireland which impacts levels of awareness and understanding of anxiety-based demand avoidance and its intersection with autism. As lifelong conditions, this has implications for adults who can struggle to access services or appropriate supports or can be isolated in the transition from Child and Adolescent services. This paper extracts data from a national study, Mapping Experiences of Pathological Demand Avoidance in Ireland, and examines the lived experience and personal histories of adults with a diagnosis of / self-identifying with PDA and autism, consisting of statements extracted from open-ended survey responses, and in-depth interviews. A deductive approach to the analysis of their testimonies discovered four superordinate themes: (1) Bidirectional social challenges, (2) Life experiences, (3) Trust and safety and (4) Accepting our truth. Subordinate leitmotifs describe: Pervasive anxiety, Challenges negotiating life demands and Flexibility in education settings. This paper reveals the interplay between PDA, autism and mental health for these participants combined, leading to significant challenges in daily life. To support better life quality and flourishing, participants advised greater autonomy and flexibility of support across all aspects of life and more awareness of PDA across society.
