What Is Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA)? Understanding Demand Avoidance in Autism
Most of us avoid certain tasks from time to time, whether it’s delaying an email, putting off chores, or ignoring that reminder to book a dentist appointment. But for some individuals, especially those with neurodevelopmental differences, avoiding demands is not a matter of procrastination or attitude. It’s an intense, all-consuming response to a perceived loss of autonomy.
This is the experience of Pathological Demand Avoidance, or PDA: a profile that sits within autism and is increasingly recognised as key to understanding certain behavioural patterns that don’t quite fit the traditional autism picture.
What Is PDA?
PDA refers to a profile of autism characterised by an ongoing and heightened resistance to everyday demands, driven primarily by a need to maintain a sense of control. Individuals with PDA may experience extreme distress in response to seemingly simple tasks, such as getting dressed, brushing their teeth, and joining an activity, even when they want to do them.
This resistance isn’t oppositional in the conventional sense. It’s not about defiance for its own sake. Rather, it reflects a deep-rooted anxiety response tied to demands that challenge autonomy.
How PDA Differs from General Demand Avoidance
All autistic individuals may show some level of demand avoidance, especially in response to sensory overwhelm or anxiety. But PDA is different in its intensity, unpredictability, and relationship to control.
Key features of PDA include:
An overwhelming need to avoid everyday demands, even those that are self-chosen
Surface-level social fluency that may mask deeper difficulties with understanding social rules
A strong need for autonomy and control, with behaviours escalating quickly when this is threatened
The use of social strategies (e.g., excuses, distraction, role play) to avoid demands
Intense and often person-focused fixations
Mood variability, often described as “Jekyll-and-Hyde” swings
These behaviours are not conscious or manipulative. They are instinctive responses to perceived threats, often triggering the fight-flight-freeze-fawn stress response.
Where Did the Term PDA Come From?
The concept of PDA was first introduced in the UK by developmental psychologist Elizabeth Newson in the 1980s. She noticed a group of children whose profiles didn’t match what was then considered “typical autism”. These children resisted everyday requests using distraction, role play, or dramatic avoidance. Newson suggested PDA was a distinct developmental profile within the broader autism spectrum.
Types of Demands (and Why They Can Feel Threatening)
For individuals with PDA, demands can take many forms, not just direct instructions. These include:
Direct demands: “Put on your shoes,” “Do your homework”
Implied demands: Questions that require a response, expectations, or unspoken rules
Internal demands: Bodily urges like hunger or needing the bathroom
Emotional demands: Wanting to do something but still feeling unable to start
Even positive experiences like going to a birthday party or playing a favourite game can feel distressing when there's pressure to engage or meet expectations.
How PDA Can Look in Everyday Life
Demand avoidance in PDA may present in a wide variety of ways, including:
Creative distraction (changing the topic, humour, charm)
Excuse-making (“I’m a robot today and robots don’t shower”)
Withdrawal or shutdown
Role play or adopting different characters to avoid engaging in the real world
Physical resistance or outbursts if other strategies fail
Some individuals appear highly sociable in public, only to experience meltdowns at home once they’ve exhausted their internal coping resources. Others may mask their distress entirely, making it harder to identify the need for support.
Is PDA Only Seen in Autism?
While PDA is most commonly discussed in relation to autism, similar patterns of extreme demand avoidance may also be observed in people with:
ADHD
Complex trauma histories
Anxiety disorders
Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)
What sets PDA apart is the underlying drive to maintain autonomy at all costs, and the often socially strategic nature of the avoidance behaviours.
Supporting Someone with a PDA Profile
Understanding PDA requires a shift in mindset from compliance to collaboration. Traditional behavioural approaches (like rewards, consequences, or sticker charts) are often ineffective and can escalate anxiety.
Instead, helpful strategies include:
Reducing direct demands and using indirect language
(e.g., “I wonder if…” or “What do you think about…”)Offering choices to create a sense of control
Using humour or playfulness to invite participation without pressure
Depersonalising requests through visuals or third-party “helpers”
Avoiding excessive praise, which may feel like another demand
Allowing time to decompress after social or structured environments
Consistency and calm, paired with flexibility and empathy, are essential.
Why Is PDA Often Misunderstood?
Because of its unique profile, PDA is frequently misdiagnosed or misunderstood entirely. Children may be labelled “manipulative,” “oppositional,” or “spoiled” when in reality, they are overwhelmed by expectations that feel too threatening to manage.
Meltdowns are often mistaken for tantrums. Refusal is misread as defiance. And masking in public settings can delay identification until difficulties become more extreme.
Is PDA a Formal Diagnosis?
PDA is not currently recognised as a standalone diagnosis in Australia. However, clinicians may describe an individual as having Autism with a demand avoidant profile. For families, this language can be useful in accessing more tailored support, even if it doesn’t appear on a formal diagnostic report.
Regardless of labels, the most important factor is recognising when a person’s relationship with demands is causing distress, dysregulation, or functional impairment, and working with that profile, rather than against it.
Final Thoughts
Whether or not PDA becomes a formal diagnosis in future, understanding it as a real, lived experience is vital for supporting individuals who struggle with persistent, overwhelming demand avoidance. These individuals are not being difficult. They are often doing their best to navigate a world that feels unpredictable, intrusive, and out of their control.
At The Neurodevelopment Clinic, we take a neuroaffirming approach to assessment and support. We understand the subtle presentations of PDA and work with families to create low-demand, respectful strategies that honour each child’s autonomy and reduce anxiety.
If this resonates with your child or someone in your care, we’re here to help.
