Educational experiences of autistic people with PDA

Educational experiences of autistic people with extreme demand avoidance behaviours

Pathological Demand Avoidance(PDA) is a term used to describe autistic people who avoid everyday demands and expectations in a way that is considered extreme. PDA was first described in the 1980s by Elizabeth Newson, a clinical psychologist, but it remains controversial.

Although PDA is not included in international diagnostic manuals (e.g., DSM-5 or ICD-11), it is increasingly being described as a presentation of autism, even being diagnosed by some clinicians in the UK. Whilst some clinicians and self-advocates find the diagnosis of PDA helps with signposting to appropriate support, others argue that there is insufficient evidence for the need for a separate diagnostic label and that it could do more harm than good to describe people in this way. There is currently very little known about the ways in which a diagnosis of PDA (or the traits associated with it) affect autistic people’s educational experiences or their ability to get support from educational professionals.

CRAE PhD student Clare Truman is examining the educational experiences of autistic people with and without a diagnosuis of PDA. Her research aims to identify any similarities or differences in the educational experiences of these groups and to examine the extent to which a diagnosis of PDA may (or may not) provide access to better and more appropriate support for autistic children who display extreme demand avoidance behaviours.

Educational experiences of autistic people with extreme demand