Better Understanding PDA and Autism
To best support children and young people experiencing Pathological demand avoidance, we have developed this online course that you can take at your own pace. Unlike other training programmes, our course has been written and created by behaviour professionals supporting pupils every day with conditions such as PDA, oppositional defiant disorder, autism spectrum disorder and sensory difficulties.
There is no formal diagnosis for Pathological Demand Avoidance - it is in fact a profile of Autism and is therefore covered by an Autism diagnosis. Understanding pathological demand avoidance is reliant on also understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder.
PDA is also closely associated with high anxiety levels so an awareness of anxiety is also key to support individuals with a PDA profile. We focus on delivering practical strategies that families, teachers and social care workers can use in practice with students in education or home settings. Our aim is to support you with the necessary knowledge of pathological demand avoidance and practical guidance to implement supportive strategies in the real world.
We encourage learners to access all of the video material provided on the course to completion and to practice your training by exploring different methods to see what works best with the students you support.
Functional Behaviour Assessment and Behaviour Management Plans
A core component of effectively supporting children and adolescents with pathological demand avoidance (PDA) is developing a clear and in-depth understanding of why avoidance, distress, or controlling behaviours occur. This course guides learners step-by-step through conducting a Functional Behaviour Assessment (FBA) in a way that is low-demand, collaborative, and sensitive to the unique neurology and anxiety profile associated with PDA.
Because PDA behaviours are often driven by an overwhelming sense of pressure, rather than opposition for its own sake, the FBA process helps you explore different methods for identifying the internal and external factors contributing to distress. This includes recognising anxiety triggers, sensory overload, uncertainty, perceived loss of autonomy, and unmet needs. Through a structured and compassionate lens, the FBA enables parents, educators, and social workers to gather meaningful information that builds confidence and clarity in how to support the young person.
Your training will equip you with the knowledge and guidance needed to complete an FBA that:
• Clarifies early warning signs of dysregulation
• Identifies patterns across home, school, and community contexts
• Highlights situations where reducing pressure enables greater participation
• Supports consistent understanding across teams of caregivers and professionals
• Helps determine which strengths, skills, and motivators can be used to increase autonomy and emotional safety
Developing the Behaviour Prevention and Management Plan
Using this foundation, you will then learn to develop personalised Behaviour Prevention Plans and Behaviour Management (Response) Plans tailored to the PDA profile. These plans focus on reducing perceived pressure, building predictability, supporting co-regulation, and offering flexible, low-demand alternatives that protect the child’s sense of agency. Instead of traditional compliance-based strategies, you will use approaches grounded in collaboration, emotional safety, and positive relationships.
Your Behaviour Prevention Plan will help you design environments that:
• Lower anxiety and reduce triggers
• Provide clear routines with opportunities for choice
• Offer sensory accommodations and communication supports
• Create low-demand pathways for engagement
• Encourage self-awareness and flexible problem-solving
Your Behaviour Response/Management Plan will guide you through responding to distressed behaviour with calm, clarity, and confidence, ensuring the young person feels understood and supported but never judged. You will learn how to match your response to their emotional state, use language that reduces demand, and prioritise regulation before expectation.
Throughout this section of the course, you will have access to practical resources, real-world examples, downloadable templates, and further information to help you apply these tools in your own setting. The structured guidance empowers learners to develop consistent, compassionate, and effective plans giving parents, teachers, and social workers the confidence to support children with PDA across a variety of environments. Ultimately you will develop a much deeper understanding pathological demand avoidance at your own pace.
By completing this module, you will gain:
• A deeper understanding of the Pathological Demand Avoidance profile and how it shapes behaviour
• Clear, actionable knowledge for carrying out an FBA
• Parent information and professional resources to assist with implementation
• A personalised set of plans that align with low-demand, autonomy-supportive practice in your own time
• Practical skills to strengthen relationships, reduce pressure, and promote wellbeing
With the right understanding, guidance, and resources, learners can confidently translate their skills into meaningful change—helping children with PDA feel safer, more regulated, and more empowered in daily life.
A Brief History of PDA and Its Place Within the Autism Profile
Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) was first described in the 1980s by UK researcher Elizabeth Newson, who observed a group of children whose presentations differed from other recognised types of autism. These children showed extreme, anxiety-driven avoidance of everyday demands, a strong need for autonomy, and highly flexible or socially strategic ways of resisting perceived pressure. Newson proposed the term Pathological Demand Avoidance to capture this distinctive pattern, and her early work laid the foundation for further research, discussion, and professional training.
Over time, the understanding of PDA has evolved. Rather than being viewed as a separate diagnosis, it is now widely understood as a profile within the autism spectrum, meaning it describes how autism can present for some individuals rather than constituting a stand-alone condition. PDA is therefore conceptualised as one of the different types of autistic presentation characterised primarily by heightened anxiety, demand avoidance, and an intense need to feel in control of one’s environment.
Although PDA is not listed as a formal diagnostic category in international manuals, it is increasingly recognised within educational and clinical practice because it helps to guide more appropriate support strategies. Professionals across education, social care, and health settings often find that understanding PDA leads to more effective responses rooted in emotional safety, flexibility, and collaboration.
Growing demand for clarity, resources, and professional capability has led to the development of structured PDA training, including courses such as the Pathological Demand Avoidance Diploma and programmes approved under the Quality Licence Scheme. These courses provide practitioners, parents, and allied professionals with the knowledge required to understand PDA within the broader autism profile and to apply evidence-informed approaches to support children and young people more effectively.
Today, PDA continues to sit within the wider conversation about autism, neurodiversity, co-regulation, and supporting nervous-system safety. As research develops, so too does our understanding of how best to support individuals with a PDA profile, ensuring that training remains compassionate, practical, and responsive to their unique strengths and needs.