"There's some controversy around it": An exploration of Educational Psychologists' perspectives on pathological demand avoidance

Background: Pathological demand avoidance (PDA) is a term which is being increasingly used to describe a particular presentation of behaviours. However, it is not presently recognised as a formal diagnosis and there is contention around the application of this term. Previous research into Educational Psychologist (EP) involvement with PDA is currently limited. This research explores EPs’ perspectives on PDA, including their views on working with the term PDA, and how they communicate and give advice around PDA. Methods: Semi-structured video interviews were facilitated with eight EP participants, and the dataset was analysed using reflective thematic analysis (RTA) (Braun & Clarke, 2021). Findings: Five main themes were generated: ‘Look at the Bigger Picture’, ‘Challenges are Prevalent’, ‘Different Labels, Different Places’, ‘We Need to Work Together’ and ‘Adapt to Accommodate’. Eight subthemes were also highlighted within these themes. Conclusion: PDA is a complex, controversial concept in EP practice, considering the challenges associated with this presentation and the national disparities in recognition. The role of the EP in the identification of PDA was mostly refuted, and it was suggested that use of the term PDA should be approached thoughtfully. The importance of comprehensive, holistic assessment and individualised, integrated support are acknowledged as part of professional involvement. Implications include the generation of inductive thinking models (Figures 6, 8 and 9) in conjunction with principles for EP practice (Table 8). Directions for future research have also been discussed.