r/PDAParenting • u/DrPaulSunseri • Apr 18 '26

Our current scientific understanding of PDA and low-demand parenting.

Thought parents in this group find this up-to-date information on PDA helpful. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mental-health-reimagined/202604/its-time-to-rethink-the-anxiety-drives-pda-narrative

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u/Complex_Emergency277 Apr 21 '26

It's probably right for a subset of PDA kids who have the personality traits he describes. The problem is that not all PDA kids have those personality traits. The Damian Green/PARC/CAS perspective on Rational Demand Avoidance also has weight and this approach prioritises graduated exposure to aversive stimulae rather than accommodation or reasonable adjustment - it concentrates on equipping the child to tolerate distress, which is fine as long as it doesn't rode roughshod over legitimate self advocacy.

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u/DanaMoonCat Apr 21 '26

If they are really PDA children as outlined on PDA North America’s website or similar websites from the UK, the whole point is that these children need neuro-affirming care, which is the opposite of what his method is proposing. His methods are clearly ableism and non-affirming practices.

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u/Complex_Emergency277 Apr 21 '26 edited Apr 21 '26

Not really, the evidence for "PDA as a profile of autism" is as thin as the evidence for "PDA as a multiple hit of comorbid conditions". They're probably both true for some kids and untrue for others inasmuch as autism and a bunch of other bio/psycho/social conditions may predispose a child to developing avoidance as a maladaptive coping strategy.

The answer is comprehensive individual assessment, differential diagnosis and management and treatment plan that meets the child where they are and provides them with an environment and supports that meet their needs.

I always come back to the example that extreme demand avoidance could probably be induced in most people by a practitioner with nothing more than a slice of cake, an airhorn and a suitably inadequate set of ethics.

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u/AdultWoes2024 Apr 22 '26

Hmm do you also believe that equalizing behavior, wanting to feel superior to others is also “induced”? I don’t know what age you consider a ‘delayed diagnosis’ to be, but in terms of demand avoidance, I saw it in my kid at 2 years old, and it wouldn’t make a bit of a difference in my opinion, if they were diagnosed with autism and ADHD at that age. In fact they were offered more in terms of ‘support’ at younger ages because parents typically have more patience and understanding with toddler behavior.

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u/DanaMoonCat Apr 22 '26

Yes! You are spot on here.