Author Identifier (ORCID)

Sam Curtis: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-3576-0139

Abstract

Purpose: Emergent research literature has identified emotional and behavioural challenges for autistic children with a pathological demand avoidance profile. However, understanding of their parents’ experience is limited. This study aimed to explore the experience of parents of autistic children with a pathological demand avoidance profile. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were completed with ten parents of autistic children with a pathological demand avoidance profile, aged between 5 and 11 years (M = 8.5, SD = 1.90). All participants were mothers, aged 33–50 years (M = 42, SD = 5.35). To explore what meaning participants gave to their lived experience, an interpretative phenomenological analysis was conducted on interview data. Results: Four main themes were developed from the interpretative phenomenological analysis; the benefit of a shared understanding about pathological demand avoidance to the parents and their children, the power of pathological demand avoidance and the impact on families, the emotional experience of mothers, and the various ways in which they coped. Conclusion: The need for further recognition and understanding about pathological demand avoidance is emphasised through recommendations for future research. As is the need for flexible, informed, and appropriate support for demand avoidant children and their families.

Document Type

Journal Article

Date of Publication

12-1-2025

Volume

5

Issue

1

Publication Title

Discover Mental Health

Publisher

Springer

School

School of Arts and Humanities

RAS ID

76778

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Comments

Curtis, S., & Izett, E. (2025). The experience of mothers of autistic children with a pathological demand avoidance profile: An interpretative phenomenological analysis. Discover Mental Health, 5. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44192-025-00127-3

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Link to publisher version (DOI)

10.1007/s44192-025-00127-3

Link to publisher version (DOI)

10.1007/s44192-025-00127-3