Psychology
What does PDA mean?
An acronym used two ways: pathological demand avoidance (a demand-avoidant profile) and, in another field, public display of affection.
Definition
In this section, PDA points at the profile described in some autism writing: the nervous system treats an ordinary request as a threat, and the person avoids, negotiates or blows up. It is not a universally accepted code. It is also not a tantrum. The other PDA, affection in public, lives in everyday acronyms. Two acronyms, two worlds — the lexicon warns against mixing them.
Origin
English, a profile described by Elizabeth Newson; later community use.
History
From the UK to parent and autistic-adult TikTok. The clinical debate stays open.
How it emerged
The community needed a name for refusal that was not simple opposition.
Usage examples
PDA, here, is not a kiss in the mall.
A demand disguised as a question is still a demand for this profile.
Translations
- pt PDA (esquiva de demanda)
- en PDA (demand avoidance)
- es PDA (evitación de demanda)
Synonyms
- demand avoidance
- PDA profile
- avoidance
Acronyms
- PDA
Related terms
Questions
What is PDA on this site?
In the psychology section, a demand-avoidant profile associated with some autistic accounts.
A universal official diagnosis?
No. A debated descriptor, more current in the UK and in the community.
The other PDA?
Public display of affection. Another entry, another world.