604. Navigating PDA in the Assessment Process w/ Dr. Monica Corrado

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Today, I’m happy to sit down with Monica Corrado to explore Pathological Demand Avoidance, also referred to as Pervasive Drive for Autonomy (PDA), within the context of evaluation and clinical practice. We discuss how the intense need for autonomy manifests in testing environments, why traditional standardized measures such as Wechsler intelligence scales often induce distress for PDA kids, and how alternative tools like the Differential Ability Scales offer a more valid representation of cognitive potential. Monica shares practical clinical strategies for ceding control, maintaining rapport, and interpreting behavioral process over raw numerical scores. We also examine differential diagnosis, contrast PDA profiles with oppositional defiant disorder, review rating scale patterns across parent and teacher informants, and highlight actionable post-assessment support strategies for families and educators.

Main Topics Discussed

02:40: Personal resonance with autonomy and the fundamental drive for independence

05:22: Identifying PDA in clinical practice and exploring historical background

08:09: Conceptualizing PDA, social attunement, and re-evaluating manipulative behavior

14:36: Distinct clinical features differentiating PDA from classic autistic profiles

20:27: Evaluating process over scores and using the Differential Ability Scales over Wechsler batteries

28:24: Managing power dynamics and non-standard administration strategies in testing

42:27: Differential diagnosis: PDA versus ODD/CD and interpreting parent and teacher rating scales

56:13: Actionable recommendations, school environment modifications, and community support networks

Cool Things Mentioned

Craft: the premier membership community for testing psychologists

Crafted Practice: the only in-person business retreat for testing psychologists

Reverb: the premier AI-powered report-writing platform for testing psychologists

Differential Ability Scales (DAS-II): www.pearsonassessments.com

Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-V): www.pearsonassessments.com

Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2): www.wpspublish.com

Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC-4): www.pearsonassessments.com

Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF-2): www.parinc.com

Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (Vineland-3): www.pearsonassessments.com

Conners 4th Edition (Conners 4): www.mhs.com

Thrive Autism Coaching: www.thriveautismcoaching.com

Hive Parents: www.hiveparents.com

Colorado Assessment Society: www.coloradoassessmentsociety.org

Autism Society of Colorado: www.autismcolorado.org

PDA Society: www.pdasociety.org.uk

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About Dr. Monica Corrado

Monica is a clinical psychologist who specializes in assessment, particularly psychoeducational assessment. She has experience working with anxious test takers and PDA students who may be hesitant or resistant to testing. She makes it her utmost priority to give families testing results that accurately reflect their child, and not the test or testing environment. She feels strongly that