What is Pathological Demand Avoidance and How Do I Parent This Child?

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Are you familiar with pathological demand avoidance? Do you need helpful strategies to raise a child with the challenging behaviors that characterize PDA? Listen in to this conversation with Dr. Cynthia Martin, a clinical psychologist, the former Senior Director of the Autism Center at the Child Mind Institute, and founder of CM Psychology (https://www.cmpsychology.org) in Manhattan, NY.

In this episode, we discuss:
2:07 - What is Pathological Demand Avoidance? What makes PDA different from typical defiance or resistance?
3:35 - What do we know about the underlying causes?
4:26 - What are the types of behaviors parents or caregivers might see?
7:54 - How does PDA relate to other conditions like autism or ADHD?
11:24 - What are the overlaps with trauma, prenatal substance exposure?
13:48 – What are some other behaviors caregivers should pay attention to?
15:39 - How can a caregiver tell the difference between a child who can’t comply and one who won’t comply?
24:34 - Where do parents start when considering if their child has a PDA profile?
26:38 - What observations or examples should parents share to help a clinician understand their child’s challenges?
34:07 - What kinds of strategies are effective for parenting a child with PDA traits? How can parents reframe their approach so that daily demands — like getting dressed, brushing teeth, or doing homework — don’t turn into constant battles?
47:35 - What types of therapies or interventions tend to be most helpful?
56:12 - What do you say to caregivers who are feeling worn down and ineffective? Where do they start?
57:57 - How can a parent or caregiver set themselves up for success even if their child has this PDA profile?
59:11 - What words of hope or encouragement would you offer to parents and caregivers just starting to investigate?

Resources:
Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) in Kids - Child Mind Institute (https://childmind.org/article/patholo...)
Demand Avoidance: Why Kids Refuse to Follow Directions - Psychology Today (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/bl...)
Symptom Tests for Children: Is Your Child Showing Signs of Pathological Demand Avoidance? - ADDitude: ADHD Science & Strategies https://www.additudemag.com/pathologi...)
Unstuck & On Target - Evidence-Based Curricula and Resources for Professionals and Families to Support Executive Functions (https://unstuckandontarget.com/)

This podcast is brought to you by CreatingaFamily.org. For more tipsheets, resources, and practical information, visit our website.
Music Credit: Michael Ashworth
Podcast Producer: megownsoundworks.com