Empowering Parents with the Power of Patience
What is Pathological Demand Avoidance?
Source: PDA North America
"PDA is an acronym that stands for Pathological Demand Avoidance, or as many prefer, Pervasive Drive for Autonomy. PDA was identified in the UK in the 1980s by Elizabeth Newson and has recently received more attention in the US and Canada since PDA North America was established in March 2020. Many view it as a profile of autism, with some recent studies linking it to ADHD as well as other neuro-developmental conditions. We are hopeful for more high quality, peer-reviewed, unbiased research to better understand PDA"
Distinctive Features of PDA
* Resists and avoids the ordinary demands/expectations of everyday life (indluding things they want to do) due to heightened anxiety and nervous system dysregulation
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* Social strategies are often used as part of this avoidance​ ("my hand is stuck")
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* Often appear social but lack some basic understanding when navigating social situations. ​
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* Obsessive behaviors are frequently focused on people instead of things
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* Often experience excessive mood swings and impulsivity, may be perceived as dominating or controlling (especially when anxious)
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* Often enjoy pretending and role play
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* Tend not to respond to conventional parent/teaching/autism approaches
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* Please look at the resources provided below for more information:
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