Methods of Studying Pathological Demand Avoidance in Children and Adolescents: A Scoping Review Protocol

The construct of pathological demand avoidance (PDA) is relatively new and contested. Clinical reports indicate a population who obsessively resist everyday demands and have a need for control which is pervasive and extreme in nature. Individuals struggle in their daily lives with significant impact on families. The construct has no agreed definition, and the diversity of conceptualisations of PDA have impacted the research on PDA and clinical guidance for PDA. The proposed scoping review aims to map this initial evidence base with a focus on how PDA is conceptualised, and the methods used to study PDA, in samples of children and adolescents. The methodological framework provided by Arksey and O’Malley (2005) and the PRISMA-ScR checklist will be employed. There is a need to identify rigorous and reliable methodological approaches to support future researchers in making balanced judgements about how to research PDA and to provide guidance for clinicians who are supporting a vulnerable group.