Your child has pathological demand avoidance? Here’s what it means – and 9 tips for what to do

By Nicole Rinehart, Nicole Rinehart, Professor, Clinical Psychology, Director of the Neurodevelopment Program, School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University
David Moseley, Associate Professor, Clinical Psychology, School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University
Simon Moss, Professor of Psychology, Monash University

For some children, everyday demands such “brush your teeth” or “time to get off of your computer game”, can trigger intense anxiety and extreme resistance. When this type of response affects everyday life it may fit into the pattern of behaviour known as pathological demand avoidance, or PDA.

Children with this pattern of behaviour have intense emotional reactions to parents’ and teachers’ requests that infringe on the their sense of control. This can prompt angry or punitive responses from parents or teachers, culminating…

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