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Executive functions are like the CEO of the brain. These are the skills that make sure things get done from the planning stages to the final deadline. When kids have issues with executive functioning, any task that requires planning, organization, memory, time management and flexibility becomes a challenge.
How Executive Functioning Works
How Executive Functioning Works
This is an example of how the executive functioning process works (in six steps):
Analyze a task. Figure out what needs to be done.
Plan how to handle the task.
Get organized. Break the plan into a series of steps.
Figure out how much time is needed to carry out the plan, and set aside the time.
Make adjustments to the plan as needed.
Finish the task in the time allotted.
If executive functioning is working well and the task itself is fairly simple, the brain may go through these steps in a matter of seconds. If your child has weak executive skills, performing even a simple task can be challenging. As your child’s brain continues to develop, the symptoms of executive functioning issues can change.
Executive Functioning Skills
Executive Functioning Skills
There are several key skills involved in executive functions. A person may not struggle with all of them to the same degree. Executive skills include:
Impulse Control: The ability to stop and think before acting. Impulsivity can also be a symptom of ADHD. Individuals who have trouble with impulse control, may blurt things out. They may do unsafe things without thinking them through. They’re likely to rush through homework without checking it.
Emotional Control: The ability to manage feelings by focusing on the end result or goal. Emotional control and impulse control are closely related. Individuals who struggle with emotional control often have trouble accepting constructive criticism. They also may overreact to minor injustices. They may have trouble focussing or completing tasks when something has upset them.
Mental Flexibility: The ability to roll with the punches and come up with new approaches when a plan fails. Individuals who are inflexible think in very concrete ways. They don’t see other options or solutions. They find it difficult to change course, and they may get panicky and frustrated when they’re asked to do so.
Working Memory: The ability to hold information in your mind and use it to complete a task. Individuals who have weak working memory skills have trouble with multi-step tasks. They have a hard time remembering directions, may get lost in the middle of a task, or find that information just doesn't stick. If a child has trouble with working memory, you may hear, “I forgot what I was going to say” frequently.
Self-Monitoring: The ability to keep track of and evaluate performance on regular tasks. Individuals who have trouble self-monitoring lack self-awareness. They can’t tell if their strategies are working, may not notice if they aren't following directions, and sometimes have trouble with social cues. They often don’t know how to check their work.
Planning and Prioritizing: The ability to set goals, come up with the steps needed to reach them, and evaluate the order of importance. Individuals with weak planning and prioritizing skills may not know how to start planning a project. They may be easily overwhelmed trying to break tasks into smaller, more manageable chunks.
Task Initiation: The ability to get started on something and stay on task. Individuals who struggle with this skill often have issues with planning and prioritizing as well. Without having the skills to plan for a task, it’s hard to know where to start. Individuals with task initiation problems can come across as lazy or as procrastinators. Individuals may become easily overwhelmed and even freeze during a task.
Organization: The ability to create systems to keep track of information and materials Individuals with organizational issues are constantly losing or misplacing things. They can’t find a way to get organized, find it difficult to complete and submit assignments, and need to find strategies to stay organized.
If your child has trouble getting started and can only remember two or three things at a time, struggles with problem solving, or feels overwhelmed at school, he or she might have an executive functioning deficit.
This screening test is designed to determine whether your child shows symptoms similar to those of an executive function disorder. Only a trained healthcare professional can make a diagnosis through clinical evaluation. This screener is for personal use only.
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