Demand Avoidance Phenomena (Pathological Extreme ” Demand Avoidance): What if it is a Neurodevelopmental Disorder?

Demand-Avoidance Phenomena (DAP, sometimes called “Pathological Demand-Avoidance”) is a proposed mental Disorder. DAP is a culturally bound concept in the United Kingdom, as a “Profile of ASD”, despite it seemingly being better described as a Neurodevelopmental Disorder. We proposed a hypothetical replication of the research described in Eaton & Weaver (2020), with slight methodological and axiology differences to reduce bias present in the thought experiment, such as assuming DAP is a Neurodevelopmental Disorder. Diagnostic groups are estimated, suggesting a reduction in autistics diagnosed, both with and without DAP. DAP can be diagnosed separately from autism. Considering hypothesised data results are largely like Eaton & Weaver (2020), the thought experiment allows us to interrogate potential bias present in Eaton & Weaver (2020), and how DAP interacts with the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS). ADOS-2 seems unsuitable to assess for DAP, and major concerns surrounding the “DAP Profile of ASD” appear to be valid.