Navigating the storm: Practical applications of rhythmanalysis in education for students with pathological demand avoidance

EMMA LOUISE PRICE, PRIMARY TEACHER AND EDUCATION DOCTORATE STUDENT, BIRMINGHAM CITY UNIVERSITY, UK Introduction Imagine a school environment where every request, no matter how small, feels like an insurmountable challenge. From the perspective of a student with pathological demand avoidance (PDA), the rigidity of mainstream classroom learning environments only heightens their anxiety and avoidant behaviours, sidelining them from active participation. There is rising interest in school absenteeism and exclusion, with a clear message that students must be in school, despite a growing number seeking alternative placements or home schooling (Sasso and Sansour, 2024). In the 2022/23 academic year, 1.6 million UK children were persistently absent, with pupils with SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) showing a particularly pronounced rate of absence (DfE, 2023). The impact of PDA on access to education can be profound, with key statistics from the PDA Society’s Being misunde