Thread by @Richard_Autism

Question to the floor:
Should we be in this situation in with PDA in UK (i.e. a bubble on the notion PDA is an ASD), some descriptions from 2 articles:
at present a culture-bound concept UK.
Interest substantially outpacing PDA research.
Genuinely interested?

My own views on this is a definitive no, fact such descriptions of the present situation is present indicates something has gone wrong. There are few reasons for this.

First point is one should ethically be presenting balanced & accurate information on PDA, also not making claims beyond its evidence base. One should not be conducting research to favour a particular viewpoint, such as favouring notion "PDA as an ASD".

Generally it appears, pro "PDA as an ASD" literature appears to be contradicting these things.

There is also issue of threshold for a person's demand-avoidance to become "pathological" is quite low, if one goes from the DSM-5.

"the disturbance causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.“ (APA 2013 p21).

So when person's demand-avoidance meets above threshold, it becomes "pathological".

Also PDA as a construct is highly controversial & contested, so one should naturally be extra careful with how they are approaching it. Especially with ongoing efforts to raise autism research & practice from its systemic poor standards.

Some divergent outlooks include PDA can be viewed as a form of attachment disorder, or Personality Disorder. Considering low threshold for "pathological" demand-avoidance it is possible these outlooks are also valid.

Issue is that PDA in these viewpoints await direct empirical testing, as in for PDA to be conceptualised as an attachment disorder & its validity tested.

This goes back to how research should not be design to favour anyone outlook over another. Just conducting research into "PDA as an ASD" is not scientifically proving that PDA is a form of autism.

Such an approach to scientifically prove a perspective (conducting research to prove something) is a criticism of much ABA research. In order to substantiate PDA is an ASD, divergent outlooks would need to tested & falsified.

I.e., PDA's divergent outlooks would need to be systematically investigated, tested & shown to have little to no validity.

Also with reputable independent parties not favouring one outlook over another on PDA, and taking neutral positions; it does casts doubts as to why some are so ardent in their position that "PDA is an ASD".

The other issues is that Disorders & features relating to them seem to present in a heterogeneous spectrum across human population, often with blurred/ porous boundaries; proposed stark division between "rational"/ "extreme" is likely arbitrary.

The point here is that divergent opinion on PDA that it presents at lower diagnostic thresholds, & in different guises to "PDA as an ASD" are also likely to be valid.

Considering above above points. It strongly suggests that typical standards around research & practice are not being followed, as the notion "PDA as an ASD" has formed a bubble in the UK.

I do wonder if pro "PDA as an ASD" reflect upon:
If they are ‘on the lookout’ for PDA?
If is it "short sighted in the extreme" to view PDA as an ASD?
If they themselves are biased, & perhaps others also possess "honest and unbiased" picture PDA?

These questions are probably applicable to anyone engaging with PDA.

There quoted text are from two pro "PDA as an ASD" literature.

Also important to note the lack of good quality evidence on PDA is also pertinent. I do think it is an important questions we should be asking.

Should "PDA as an ASD" be a "bubble" (a culture-bound concept) in the UK?

And why?

*If they themselves are ‘on the lookout’ for PDA?
Is it "short sighted in the extreme" to view PDA as an ASD?
If they themselves are biased on PDA?
Do other's potentially possess "honest and unbiased picture of the features of PDA"?*

Corrected the above questions which I think it is worth asking persons to reflect upon if they are engaging with PDA, in addition to:

Should "PDA as an ASD" be a "bubble" (a culture-bound concept) in the UK?

And why?

This is me encouraging others to "engage reflexively with how their values shape their understanding and construction of autistic people", adapting it for PDA.

Quoted text from abstract from here:
frontiersin.org/articles/10.33…

@threadreaderapp Please can you unroll?

Thank you in advance.