A scoping review of functioning features of children said to have Pathological Demand Avoidance: providing a conciliatory neurodiversity stance.

Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) has been regarded as a separate diagnostic category by some, while others see it as part of other diagnoses, such as Autism. This study contributes to this debate, by providing a conciliatory stance, aligned with the neurodiversity paradigm. A scoping literature review on Pathological Demand Avoidance (and related terms) has been conducted to systematically identify the everyday life functioning features mentioned in the empirical research as key for children with PDA, using the taxonomy of the International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health (ICF). Results show a significant overlap of key functioning features between children with PDA and Autistic children, as well as with children with other diagnoses such as ADHD. We argue that by adopting a neurodiversity stance, which the ICF can help promote, the debate around what constitutes PDA and what constitutes Autism becomes less relevant. It is more important to focus on the specific and identified everyday life participation issues that may, at certain points in time, become overwhelming for Autistic children (with or without PDA) and to children with PDA (with or without co-existing diagnoses)