I am always searching for new ways to improve and change my practice to better support my students and in this quest I come across lots of interesting material.
My sources are varied and they bring me to exciting topics within behavioural psychology. This acquiring of new knowledge gives me a buzz and I am fascinated with the multiple approaches I have discovered. I can identify both the change in my thinking and how I now look at behaviour through a different lens.
As I am researching I sometimes have a student in mind. Maybe they have had a particularly bad week or are exhibiting increasingly challenging behaviour. Other times articles prompt me to think of a student as I begin to form a visual of them in my head as I read about a theory and identify connections.
Whatever the reason and whatever the outcome my research fuels my passion and I want to share this with you.
This week I came across an article discussing Pathological Demand avoidance (PDA) and as I described above connections started to form in my head. I could recognise the strategies employed with PDA as strategies I use and believe in and I felt validated in my use of similar responses.
According to the PDA Society PDA is “a distinct profile of autism”. However, PDA students are more difficult to diagnose due to their developed ‘social understanding and communication skills’. Key characteristics include,
Ordinary demands can be met with obsessive resistance
Demand avoidance through perceived manipulation and challenging behaviour
Mood changes with perceived loss of control
Difficulties navigating social interactions. Misreading of social cues
Preference for role play
Now, I am neither qualified nor interested in diagnosing my students, that is the work of a clinical psychologist. But, I do aim to place myself in a position to do everything I possibly can for the students in my care. Students who exhibit challenging behaviour require us to change the way we respond to them and provide alternative methods of support.
Consider the student who's anxiety is a direct result of going to school... What can we do?
We need to develop a relationship and listen while observing their behaviour in order to recognise potential triggers. Although these actions are traditional behavioural approaches our responses need to be tailored differently if we are to facilitate success for PDA students. If we are to look at student behaviour through a PDA lens then we need to understand that strategies which are successful for other students may in fact be detrimental to students with PDA. It is vital that we recognise that the behaviour of a PDA student is not about manipulation and we must believe that PDA students respond to demands with a “CAN’T not a WON’T” response.
PDA students need to feel they have some control. Therefore, if we are to promote success and facilitate change we need to include them and work together,
Empowering them through offering opportunities for choice and negotiation
Removing demands when they become anxious
Employing the use of indirect demands ‘ I wonder what would happen if…’, ‘Can someone help me…’
Creating a ‘safe’ area for the student to retreat to when they feel anxious
Using calm tones when talking to the distressed student or just sit with them without talking
This is not a small task for educators and the PDA Society confirm that PDA students can be exceptionally demanding. This means that in order to achieve success educators need to be prepared to work in a ‘creative, flexible and adaptive way. But I believe if we ‘dig deep’ to ensure we meet the needs of our students who exhibit challenging behaviour we will be supporting all.
Lots to consider… Happy Reading!
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