PDA Indicators Checklist

Is it PDA? Reflective Checklist

A gentle, research-informed tool to help parents, educators, and professionals recognise possible signs of Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) — and respond with understanding, not control.

Many families reach the point of asking, “Could this be PDA?” long before any professional raises it. Unfortunately, professionals themselves often have limited training or awareness of PDA, leading to inconsistent advice, misinterpretation, and, at times, disbelief in its existence altogether.

This reflective checklist bridges that gap. It’s not a diagnostic tool, but a practical, compassionate guide to help you notice patterns of behaviour, emotional responses, and environmental factors that may suggest a PDA profile.

Developed using current research — including the 2024 Frontiers in Education scoping review — this checklist empowers adults to see beyond “defiance” or “control” and to consider what’s truly driving the behaviour.

What’s Included

A 5-page downloadable PDF designed to support reflection and informed discussion.

The checklist explores three key areas:

1. Everyday Behavioural Patterns
Gentle prompts to help you notice avoidance, autonomy-seeking, and anxiety-driven responses across home, school, and community contexts.

2. Emotional and Relational Drivers
Questions to explore how safety, trust, and co-regulation shape your child’s responses to everyday demands.

3. Environmental and Support Factors
Reflective space to consider sensory, communication, and relational influences that might be misunderstood in traditional behaviour frameworks.

Each section includes short notes to guide reflection, helping you connect patterns without judgement or pathologising.

Who It’s For

Parents and carers trying to better understand their child’s behaviours before or during assessment
Educators, SENCOs, and professionals supporting potentially PDA learners
Therapists and support staff wanting a reflective, evidence-based starting point
Anyone looking to deepen understanding of PDA without relying on outdated deficit models

Why It Matters

Because recognising PDA isn’t about labelling — it’s about listening differently.

When we pause to reflect on what’s really being communicated through avoidance, shutdown, or distress, we move from managing behaviour to meeting needs.

This checklist helps you start that shift: from confusion to clarity, from control to compassion, from uncertainty to understanding.

Review:

"The resources provided by Natalie are excellent and strongly informed by neuro-affirming practice and current research. I shared the regulation strategies and calm plan resources with staff at an additionally resourced provision during a PDA training session. These materials aligned perfectly with the key messages I wanted to convey—particularly the complexity of PDA and the role of anxiety and autonomy in driving behaviours.

Practitioners found the resources helpful for reflecting on their language and reframing current thinking. This led to staff feeling more equipped to plan for dysregulation and, crucially, to consider preventative adaptations to the environment and their approaches to reduce distress escalation. I would be more than happy to recommend these resources to any colleagues involved with supporting children and young people whose needs may be best understood through the lens of PDA."

Emma - Educational Psychologist

PDA Indicators Checklist