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Pathological Demand Avoidance Training
High Skills Training

*Complete 4 Courses in One Bundle* | PDF Certificate | Lifetime Access | Expert Help | 14-Day Money-Back Promise

Summary

Price
£25 inc VAT
Study method
Online, On Demand 
Course format
37 Videos (with subtitles and transcripts), 7 PDFs and 1 Quiz
Duration
6.8 hours · Self-paced
Qualification
No formal qualification
Certificates
  • Reed Courses Certificate of Completion - Free
Additional info
  • Tutor is available to students

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Overview

Pathological Demand AvoidanceTraining Course

Last Updated: October 2026 | Online Training | 3 Bonus Courses Included

Course Overview

Develop your understanding of Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), a profile associated with autism that involves intense resistance to everyday demands and expectations.

This online course explores demand avoidance, anxiety, emotional regulation, sensory sensitivities, and behavioural responses. Learn how these experiences may affect daily routines, relationships, communication, and participation in learning environments.

Designed for parents, teachers, teaching assistants, childcare professionals, support workers, and anyone interested in neurodiversity and child development. No previous experience is required.

Understanding Pathological Demand Avoidance

Demand avoidance can be linked to anxiety, a need for control, and difficulty coping with expectations. Recognising these underlying experiences can help adults respond with greater understanding rather than relying solely on compliance-based approaches.

This course introduces supportive communication, low-demand strategies, emotional wellbeing, and approaches that may help reduce distress. It also explores the relationship between PDA, autism, ADHD, and individual differences in behaviour.

PDA is not a standalone diagnosis universally recognised by clinical systems, and experiences vary between individuals. Understanding personal needs and seeking appropriate professional guidance are important when providing support.

What's Included in the 4-in-1 Training Bundle?

The bundle includes one main course and three bonus courses:

  • Pathological Demand Avoidance Training (Main Course)

  • Autism Awareness Training (Bonus Course)

  • ADHD Awareness Training (Bonus Course)

  • Child Psychology and Counselling (Bonus Course)

What Will You Learn?

  • Fundamentals of pathological demand avoidance

  • Anxiety, control, and demand-related distress

  • Links between PDA, autism, and ADHD

  • Emotional regulation and sensory sensitivities

  • Supportive communication and low-demand approaches

  • Behavioural responses and individual needs

Why Choose HighSkills Training?

Flexible Study: Learn at your own pace around work, family, or other commitments.

Accessible Learning: Study on a compatible laptop, tablet, or mobile device.

Relevant Knowledge: Explore neurodiversity, emotional wellbeing, and supportive approaches for children and young people.

Beginner-Friendly Content: Build foundational knowledge without previous experience.

Additional Training: Broaden your understanding through bonus courses in autism awareness, ADHD awareness, and child psychology and counselling.

Take the Next Step

Build your knowledge of demand avoidance, neurodiversity, and supportive communication with the Pathological Demand Avoidance Training Course from HighSkills Training.

Whether you work with children, support a family member, or want to develop your understanding of different behavioural needs, this course offers an accessible starting point.

Enrol today and expand your understanding of PDA and neurodiversity.

Certificates

Curriculum

This course contains

Format: 37 Videos (with subtitles and transcripts), 7 PDFs and 1 Quiz

Duration: 6h and 46m

    • 1: Welcome to the Course 01:00
    • 2: Section Overview of PDA Foundations, Diagnostic Status and the ODD Distinction 02:40
    • 3: PDA Terminology, History and the Current 2026 Evidence Position 06:30
    • 4: PDA, Autism and Current Diagnostic Status 05:36
    • 5: PDA and ODD: Key Differences and Overlap 05:27
    • 6: Demand Avoidance Beyond PDA: Alternative and Co-occurring Explanations 06:43
    • 7: Pre - Order Your Accredited Certificate 01:00
    • 8: Section Highlights of PDA Foundations, Diagnostic Status and the ODD Distinction 02:05

    • 9: Section Overview of Demand Experience, Contributing Factors and PDA Presentation 03:08
    • 10: Everyday Demands and Cumulative Demand Load 05:21
    • 11: Stress, Anxiety, Autonomy, Control and Intolerance of Uncertainty 05:10
    • 12: Avoidance Patterns, Social Strategies and Variable Presentation 05:17
    • 13: Sensory Processing, Executive Function, Communication and Emotional Regulation 05:02
    • 14: Section Highlights 02:29

    • 15: Section Overview of PDA Across Childhood, Adolescence and Adulthood 02:33
    • 16: PDA in Early and Middle Childhood 05:09
    • 17: School-Age PDA, Masking and Attendance Difficulties 04:40
    • 18: Adolescence, Identity and the Transition Towards Greater Autonomy 04:57
    • 19: PDA in Adulthood: Daily Living, Relationships and Employment 05:07
    • 20: Children and Adults Compared: Demand Context, Agency and Support 05:09
    • 21: Section Highlights of PDA Across Childhood, Adolescence and Adulthood 02:03

    • 22: Section Overview of Demand-Sensitive Support, Communication and Regulation 02:46
    • 23: Trust, Low-Arousal Practice and Relationship-Based Support 05:27
    • 24: Demand Reduction, Prioritisation, Flexibility and Meaningful Choice 04:57
    • 25: Collaborative Problem-Solving, Negotiation and Demand-Sensitive Communication 04:51
    • 26: Co-regulation, Sensory Adjustment and Environmental Support 04:43
    • 27: Rewards, Consequences, Boundaries, Distress and Recovery 04:48
    • 28: Section Highlights of Demand-Sensitive Support, Communication and Regulation 02:09

    • 29: Section Overview of PDA Support Across Home, Education, Care and Work 02:27
    • 30: Home and Family Life with PDA 04:14
    • 31: Education, Attendance and Inclusive Learning 05:23
    • 32: Healthcare and Social Care Encounters 04:50
    • 33: Friendly Reminder 01:00
    • 34: Employment, Adult Learning and Community Participation 05:12
    • 35: Section Highlights of PDA Support Across Home, Education, Care and Work 02:18

    • 36: Section Overview 03:27
    • 37: Identification, Assessment and Formulation Without Overdiagnosis 05:26
    • 38: UK Rights, Reasonable Adjustments and Coordinated Support Pathways 04:55
    • 39: Safeguarding, Boundaries and Best Practice 05:16
    • 40: Section Highlights 02:17
    • 41: Congratulations 01:00

    • 42: Self Assessment 05:00

    • 43: Autism Awareness Training 1:31:00

    • 44: ADHD Awareness Training 1:18:00

    • 45: Child Psychology and Counselling 1:07:00

Description

Course 1: Pathological Demand Avoidance Training

Section 1: PDA Foundations, Diagnostic Status and the ODD Distinction

Section 2: Demand Experience, Contributing Factors and PDA Presentation

Section 3: PDA Across Childhood, Adolescence and Adulthood

Section 4: Demand-Sensitive Support, Communication and Regulation

Section 5: PDA Support Across Home, Education, Care and Work

Section 6: Identification, Rights, Safeguarding and Evidence-Informed Practice

Course 2: Autism Awareness Training

Course 3: ADHD Awareness Training

Course 4: Child Psychology and Counselling

Who is this course for?

This course is suitable for people who want a careful, evidence-aware understanding of persistent demand avoidance across different ages and settings, including:

  • Parents, carers and family members supporting children, teenagers or adults experiencing significant demand-related difficulties.

  • Teachers, teaching assistants and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) professionals.

  • Health, social care, community and support workers.

  • Autism and neurodiversity practitioners working within awareness-level or support roles.

  • Further-education, training and employment-support professionals.

  • Managers and workplace-support staff seeking greater understanding of demand-sensitive adjustments.

  • Anyone who wants to understand PDA terminology without relying on oversimplified checklists, stereotypes or unsupported claims.

Requirements

  • No prior PDA experience is required; beginners are fully supported.

  • No previous autism, neurodiversity or demand-avoidance course knowledge is necessary.

Career path

Job Options For This Course:

  • PDA Specialist Support Worker
  • Autism and PDA Support Worker
  • SEN Learning Support Assistant
  • SEND Tutor
  • Autism Specialist Teacher
  • Behaviour Support Assistant
  • Specialist Education Support Worker
  • PDA Training Facilitator
  • Autism and PDA Consultant
  • Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO)

Questions and answers

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Legal information

This course is advertised on Reed.co.uk by the Course Provider, whose terms and conditions apply. Purchases are made directly from the Course Provider, and as such, content and materials are supplied by the Course Provider directly. Reed is acting as agent and not reseller in relation to this course. Reed's only responsibility is to facilitate your payment for the course. It is your responsibility to review and agree to the Course Provider's terms and conditions and satisfy yourself as to the suitability of the course you intend to purchase. Reed will not have any responsibility for the content of the course and/or associated materials.

FAQs

Study method describes the format in which the course will be delivered. At Reed Courses, courses are delivered in a number of ways, including online courses, where the course content can be accessed online remotely, and classroom courses, where courses are delivered in person at a classroom venue.

CPD stands for Continuing Professional Development. If you work in certain professions or for certain companies, your employer may require you to complete a number of CPD hours or points, per year. You can find a range of CPD courses on Reed Courses, many of which can be completed online.

A regulated qualification is delivered by a learning institution which is regulated by a government body. In England, the government body which regulates courses is Ofqual. Ofqual regulated qualifications sit on the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF), which can help students understand how different qualifications in different fields compare to each other. The framework also helps students to understand what qualifications they need to progress towards a higher learning goal, such as a university degree or equivalent higher education award.

An endorsed course is a skills based course which has been checked over and approved by an independent awarding body. Endorsed courses are not regulated so do not result in a qualification - however, the student can usually purchase a certificate showing the awarding body's logo if they wish. Certain awarding bodies - such as Quality Licence Scheme and TQUK - have developed endorsement schemes as a way to help students select the best skills based courses for them.
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