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ASD-AuDHD-PAI-Skills

New collection, first skill [pda-reframing](https://github.com/emory/ASD-AuDHD-PAI-Skills/blob/main/Skills/pda-reframing/SKILL.md) can reframe requests or decis

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What ASD-AuDHD-PAI-Skills Does

ASD-AuDHD-PAI-Skills is a specialized collection of Claude AI skills designed to support neurodivergent individuals, particularly those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Autism + ADHD (AuDHD), and Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA). The first skill in this collection, PDA-Reframing, helps reframe requests or decisions in ways that reduce demand avoidance responses and make tasks feel more autonomous and controllable. This skill collection bridges accessibility and AI capabilities, providing neurodivergent users with tools that understand their unique cognitive processing patterns and communication needs.

How to Install

  1. Navigate to the ASD-AuDHD-PAI-Skills GitHub repository
  2. Review the skills available in the /Skills directory
  3. For the PDA-Reframing skill, access the Skills/pda-reframing/SKILL.md file to understand the skill’s configuration
  4. Copy the skill definition into your Claude Code environment or integrate it with your Claude instance
  5. Test the skill with a sample request to verify it’s working correctly
  6. Refer to individual skill documentation for specific implementation details and parameters

Use Cases

  • Task Planning for PDA Individuals: Reframe mandatory tasks as choices or collaborative decisions to reduce demand avoidance responses and increase follow-through
  • Workplace Accommodations: Help neurodivergent employees receive work instructions in formats that align with their autonomy needs rather than traditional command structures
  • Educational Support: Assist students with ASD/ADHD in understanding assignments as flexible opportunities rather than rigid demands
  • Therapy and Coaching: Provide practitioners with AI-assisted tools to help clients reframe anxieties around perceived obligations
  • Family Communication: Help parents and caregivers communicate with neurodivergent family members using language that reduces demand sensitivity

How It Works

The PDA-Reframing skill operates by analyzing request structures and identifying language patterns that trigger demand avoidance responses. Pathological Demand Avoidance is characterized by anxiety-driven resistance to perceived demands, even when the individual wants to complete the task. The skill recognizes this pattern and restructures prompts to emphasize autonomy, choice, and collaboration rather than obligation.

When a request is submitted, the skill examines the framing and recontextualizes it using principles of motivational autonomy and collaborative language. Instead of “You need to do X,” it might reframe as “What if we approached X this way?” or “You could explore X when you’re ready.” This approach respects the neurological reality of demand avoidance while maintaining the functional objective.

The skill integrates with Claude’s language understanding to maintain context, accuracy, and nuance throughout the reframing process. It preserves the actual task or decision while transforming the communication framework, making it particularly valuable for real-world applications where neurodivergent individuals need to process information in neurotype-aligned ways.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

  • Purpose-built for neurodivergent communication patterns—not a generic solution
  • Immediately practical for daily task management and decision-making
  • Supports multiple user types (individuals, caregivers, educators, managers)
  • Open-source and community-driven, enabling customization and improvement
  • Reduces anxiety-driven avoidance without sacrificing task completion
  • Bridges accessibility and AI, making tools more inclusive

Cons:

  • Requires understanding of PDA and neurodivergence to use effectively
  • First skill in collection means limited ecosystem compared to established platforms
  • No official installation command or package manager support yet
  • Effectiveness varies by individual—reframing style must be personalized
  • Requires GitHub access and manual integration into existing workflows
  • Limited documentation beyond initial skill; community examples still developing
  • Executive Function Assistant: Helps break down tasks and build flexible schedules for ADHD/ASD individuals
  • Sensory Accommodation Guide: Provides sensory-friendly alternatives for communication and task engagement
  • Autistic Communication Translator: Clarifies ambiguous or NT-coded (neurotypical) language patterns
  • ADHD Time Blindness Buddy: Helps with time estimation and flexible scheduling frameworks
  • Emotional Regulation Tools: Provides grounding and self-regulation strategies for overwhelm or anxiety

Alternatives

  • Manual reframing using general communication guides: Requires training but offers more control; less specialized for PDA-specific patterns
  • Traditional therapeutic approaches (CBT, DBT): Effective but require professional support and ongoing sessions; not immediately accessible in AI-assisted workflows
  • Generic AI assistants with custom instructions: You can prompt standard AI to reframe requests, but without PDA-specific training, the results may miss nuanced demand-avoidance triggers
Glossary

Key terms

Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA)
An anxiety-driven need to maintain autonomy and control, characterized by involuntary resistance to perceived demands. Common in autistic and neurodivergent individuals, PDA is not laziness or willful defiance but a neurological response pattern.
AuDHD
An individual who is both Autistic and has ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder). Many people have both conditions, and they can interact in complex ways affecting executive function, sensory processing, and demand avoidance.
Autonomy-Centered Language
Communication that emphasizes choice, control, and self-direction rather than obligation or external authority. Examples: 'you could explore,' 'what if we,' 'you might decide,' rather than 'you should,' 'you must,' or 'you need to.'
Reframing
The process of presenting the same objective or task using different language, context, or perspective to change how it's perceived. In this case, removing demand-based language while preserving the functional goal.
Demand Avoidance
An anxiety response triggered by perceived commands, pressure, or loss of autonomy. The individual may avoid or resist even desired tasks if they feel imposed, coerced, or externally controlled.
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What is PDA and why does it need special reframing?

Pathological Demand Avoidance is an anxiety-driven response to perceived demands that's common in autistic and neurodivergent individuals. Unlike laziness, PDA is involuntary—the person wants to do the task but experiences severe anxiety when it feels imposed. Reframing eliminates the perceived demand while maintaining the objective, reducing anxiety and enabling task completion.

How is PDA-Reframing different from just asking nicely?

While politeness helps, PDA-Reframing goes deeper by restructuring how requests are framed. It emphasizes autonomy ('you could'), collaboration ('we might'), and flexibility ('when you're ready') rather than just softening language. This addresses the neurological root of demand avoidance rather than surface-level politeness.

Can this skill work for people without PDA?

Yes. The reframing principles benefit anyone who responds better to autonomous, collaborative language. Many people with ADHD, anxiety, or general perfectionism find these reframings helpful. However, the skill is specifically optimized for PDA profiles.

How do I install ASD-AuDHD-PAI-Skills if no install command is specified?

Clone the GitHub repository to your local machine, then integrate the skill definitions into your Claude Code environment manually. Each skill includes a SKILL.md file with configuration details. If you're using Claude's web interface, you may need to copy the skill prompt/logic directly into your custom instructions or use it as a reference for your own implementation.

Is this skill collection only for self-advocacy?

No. While self-advocacy is valuable, the skills are designed for multiple audiences: neurodivergent individuals managing their own tasks, caregivers/family members, educators, workplace managers, and therapists. Anyone supporting neurodivergent people can benefit from understanding these reframing principles.

Will reframing work for every person with ASD or ADHD?

Not necessarily. Neurodivergence is highly individual. PDA-Reframing is most effective for people with PDA profiles, but adaptations may benefit others. The skill should be personalized to individual needs and preferences. Some individuals may find certain reframing approaches more effective than others.

Can I customize the reframing style to match my needs?

Yes. The skill documentation (SKILL.md) includes parameters and options for customization. You can adjust language intensity, autonomy emphasis, collaboration tone, and other factors to match individual preferences and communication styles.

What's the difference between ASD-AuDHD-PAI-Skills and generic AI assistants?

Generic AI assistants don't understand neurodivergent-specific communication needs. ASD-AuDHD-PAI-Skills are purpose-built to recognize and respond to demand sensitivity, executive dysfunction patterns, and sensory/processing preferences that standard AI may not account for. They're trained on neurodivergence-aware frameworks.

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