The PDA profile: from neuroscience to classroom strategies with a dash of lived experience

Christina Keeble is an Autistic & ADHD teacher with a Master in Special Education, a background in Psychology and experience working in special education settings since 2003.

She is the proud parent of 2 neurodivergent children who fit the PDA profile and was diagnosed after her children. Christina currently works as an Autism & Neurodiveristy Educational Consultant through her business, Neurodivergent Mum. She provides seminars, professional development sessions and speaks at conferences all over Australia. Christina's combination of professional and personal, lived experience of disability allows her to offer unique insight, understanding and practical strategies.

Can you tell us about the PDA profile?

Pathological or Extreme Demand Avoidance (PDA) is a profile on the autism spectrum, involving the avoidance of everyday demands and the use of ‘social’ strategies as part of this avoidance. The oppositional behaviour of the PDA student is in not in their control and is a direct result of their disability. The behaviour profile is not responsive to traditional, more conventional strategies and methods or working with Autistic students. Many of these approaches trigger the oppositional behaviour and lead to the student experiencing meltdowns on a regular basis which can lead to traumatic school experiences. This poses a multitude of challenges for the education system to meet their needs.

How common is the profile for children experiencing ASD?

The research is in it’s infancy, having begun in the 1980’s in the UK by psychologist Elizabeth Newson. Therefore, an accurate prevalence rate is yet to be defined. Looking at several pieces of research exploring the prevalence rate, they report between 1-4%.

Christina Keeble

How can this impact a student’s experience of school?

The way our school systems are traditionally designed and structured do not meet the needs of students with a PDA profile. Research shows the students experience high levels of school refusal, increased experiences of discrimination, seclusion and exclusion. The meltdowns/panic attacks that PDA students experience can pose a risk to themselves and others as they are operating from the fight/flight response and have no control over their actions/behaviour. The culmination of several years of negative school experiences shows a pattern leading to complex trauma and most families are left with no option but to home-school. Due to a lack of understanding and awareness of this profile from schools, practitioners and the general community, families tend to become extremely isolated, many become broken and disconnected from society. As a result, poor mental health outcomes are a common reality for the entire family, in extreme cases, families have had their children removed (again from a lack of understanding of this complex profile) or families have been forced to give up their children in order to protect other children/family members. The self-harm, suicide and substance abuse rate for these students is much higher than the rest of the Autistic population.

What type of strategies for teachers will you cover in your session at the Additional Needs Symposium?

I will discuss and explain the neuroscience behind the physiology PDA students are experiencing, strategies and approaches to working with them and the shift in practice that needs to occur in order to support these vulnerable students. The strategies that support students with PDA profiles also support others.