The ABA Speech Podcast- Easy Strategies for Speech Therapists, BCBAs, and RBTs
Join Rose Griffin, a dedicated Speech Therapist and BCBA from ABA SPEECH, as she shares her compassionate approach to supporting the communication needs of autistic individuals. With 20 years of experience, Rose is committed to respecting and understanding the diverse ways autistic people communicate and interact with the world.
This podcast is a resource for professionals and parents alike, offering practical strategies that honor each person's unique communication style. Rose covers a wide range of topics, including how to recognize and support autistic communication from an early age, the distinctions between autism and speech differences, and effective, respectful approaches to fostering communication, whether a child is non-speaking, minimally speaking, or verbal.
Through a mix of interviews and solo episodes, Rose explores how to enhance meaningful connections, address challenges with empathy, and celebrate the strengths of autistic individuals. Whether you're a parent, therapist, or educator, you'll find valuable insights and actionable advice to create supportive environments that empower communication and honor neurodiversity.
Hit subscribe and learn more at www.abaspeech.org.
The ABA Speech Podcast- Easy Strategies for Speech Therapists, BCBAs, and RBTs
#261: PDA and Collaboration Over Compliance Dr. Michael C. Selbst and Dr. Jeniffer Cruz
In this reprise episode, I’m revisiting an important conversation with Dr. Michael Selbst and Dr. Jeniffer Cruz about Pathological Demand Avoidance, often called PDA. I began getting more questions about PDA as clinicians and parents shared concerns about students who weren’t responding to traditional strategies and seemed to escalate around even small or well-intended demands.
In this episode, we break down what PDA is and how it’s currently understood. While PDA is not a formal diagnosis in the United States, it’s often described internationally as a profile rooted in anxiety and a strong drive for control. Dr. Selbst and Dr. Cruz explain how both explicit demands, like being told to complete a task, and implied demands, such as routines or social expectations, can trigger a fight, flight, or freeze response.
We also explore why compliance-based systems and reward-driven approaches often don’t work for learners with this profile. Even positive strategies can increase anxiety when they rely on external control. Instead, this conversation focuses on shifting toward collaboration over compliance, building trust, and reducing power struggles so regulation can come first.
What I appreciate most is how practical this discussion is. We talk about language, tone, and small changes adults can make to better support regulation, communication, and independence.
#autism #speechtherapy
What’s Inside:
- What Pathological Demand Avoidance is and how it differs from defiance or noncompliance
- Why anxiety-driven responses make compliance-based strategies ineffective
- How shifting from compliance to collaboration supports regulation and trust
- Practical ways to adjust language, expectations, and support for PDA learners
Mentioned In This Episode:
Dr. Selbst and Dr. Cruz have the authority to practice interjurisdictional telepsychology (APIT) from the PSYPACT commission, allowing them to provide telepsychology to clients in many states. To see if your state is included, please click on this link: https://psypact.site-ym.com/page/psypactmap
