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AUTISM GLOSSARY
PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance)
DEFINITION
PDA is an autism profile characterized by extreme anxiety-driven avoidance of everyday demands and expectations. People with PDA may use social strategies (negotiating, making excuses, distracting) to avoid demands, and often present very differently from stereotypical autism presentations.
WHY IT MATTERS
PDA is widely recognized in the UK and growing in awareness in the US. It requires a fundamentally different approach from typical autism support strategies. Low-demand, collaborative, autonomy-supportive approaches are most effective.
COMMON MISCONCEPTION
PDA is not the same as oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). It is driven by anxiety rather than defiance. The goal is not to force compliance but to build a relationship of trust and reduce anxiety.