What is Executive Functioning?
Executive function is a set of mental processes that help us connect our past experiences with our present decisions and actions. Executive functions are used to perform activities like planning, paying and sustaining attention, remembering details and managing time and space.
Executive functions are skills and processes that each of us use in everyday life. Executive functioning skills help us to make plans, keep track of time and finish work on time, keep track of more than one thing at once, meaningfully include past knowledge in present discussions, evaluate ideas and reflect on work, ask for help or seek more information when needed, engage in group dynamics, wait to speak until called upon and making mid-course corrections while reading and writing, also known as adaptability. Of course, everyone has differing strengths and challenges, meaning that strategies that work well for one for one may not benefit another.
Executive Dysfunction: Signs & Symptoms
Problems with executive function, sometimes called executive dysfunction, can run in families. Problems can be observed at any age, although deficits tend to become apparent as children move through the early elementary grades. This is when the demands of completing school work independently can alert teachers and parents to signs of a problem with executive functions.
There are no simple tests that identify the various features of executive function. Careful observation and trial teaching are invaluable in identifying and better understanding executive function weaknesses. Careful observation includes a trusted adult simply watching and noting everything that is being done without interfering, while trail teaching involves breaking down skills into smaller components and teaching each component individually with repeated practice.
Signs of possible executive functioning deficits include trouble with the following:
Planning projects
Comprehending how much time a project will take to complete
Telling stories (verbal or written), struggling to communicate details in an organized, sequential manner
Memorizing and retrieving information from memory
Initiating activities of tasks, or generating ideas independently
Retaining information while doing something with it, for example, remembering a phone number while dialing
There are a number of specific strategies that can be used to help children and adults with executive dysfunction overcome or compensate for their difficulties.
Executive Function Behavior Categories
Now we will look at the overarching executive function categories under which these behaviors fall. This may help better organize your observations at home and give you a better understanding of executive functions.
IMPULSE CONTROL - the ability to stop and think before acting
Impulse control is the degree to which people can resist temptation and control their desire for instant gratification. Impulse control is most often learned over time through practice. For many people, lack of impulse control is a fundamental weakness. Those who struggle with impulse control often say or do things without using the cushion of time to reflect, prepare, and then act. They are tempted, and often indulge in, whatever pleasurable thing comes along without considering all the obligations and commitments that may come with it. Children with this weakness often speed through schoolwork, sacrificing accuracy and quality along the way.
EMOTIONAL CONTROL - the ability to manage feelings by thinking about goals
People who can’t manage their emotions have trouble accepting any sort of criticism or feedback, even when it’s constructive. These people have trouble keeping their eyes on the goal when upsetting or unexpected things arise. They may be quick to call a situation unfair or claim that you couldn’t possibly understand their perspective. They overreact to small things like being called on in class or losing a game. They often have difficulty sticking with schoolwork when distressed or thinking about something that is overriding their emotions.
PLANNING & PRIORITIZING - the ability to create steps to reach a goal and make decisions about what to focus on
People who have difficulty planning and setting priorities tend to be easily overwhelmed by complicated, multi-part tasks. These people struggle to independently impose structure and order on ideas. They often have trouble thinking through the steps required to achieve a goal. They tend to underestimate a project’s complexity and time requirements, meaning that they are often left with incomplete projects, assignments and tasks.
FLEXIBILITY - the ability to change strategies or revise plans when conditions change
People who behave in ways that are inflexible and rigid have trouble when familiar routines are disrupted, when tasks become complicated or when they need to adapt in order to find success. They get frustrated when a first attempt to solve a problem isn’t successful. They are unable to see new ways to do familiar tasks or to make another choice when the first is unavailable.
WORKING MEMORY - the ability to hold information in mind and use it to complete a task
People with weak working memory are unable to remember and apply crucial information in order to move to the next step of a task. They often falter when a task requires them to remember a series of directions or steps, generate ideas in response to the directions then express ideas. Information simply doesn’t “stick” for them.
SELF-MONITORING - the ability to monitor and evaluate your own performance
People who are weak at monitoring themselves may not notice they are not following directions until it’s pointed out to them. They tend to misjudge their own efforts and have trouble adjusting to what they’re doing based on feedback, prompts or cues. THey are often completely surprised by a low grade on a test or project.
TASK INITIATION - the ability to recognize when it is time to get started on something and begin without procrastinating
Those who are weak in this skill have trouble starting homework and put off projects until the last minute. They’re sometimes seen as lazy or unmotivated, although this is rarely true. Actually, people like this may procrastinate because they really don’t know how to start. Many who have difficulty getting started also have trouble with planning and organizing. They can get so overwhelmed by everything that they may end up doing nothing at all.
ORGANIZATION - the ability to create and maintain systems to keep track of information or materials
This skill is closely tied to planning, setting priorities and task initiation. People who lack organizational skills lose permission slips, assignments, notebooks, library books, etc. They may face consequences for being disorganized, such as receiving a failing grade for losing work, but don’t improve their organization skills in response to these consequences. People with poor organization skills may understand the value of being organized, but are unable to learn and put into practice the skills they need to keep track of things.
Some people will independently figure out ways to overcome or compensate for their executive skills deficits through maturation, good teaching, and trial and error. Most people with LD and/or ADHD, though, need extra support to develop or compensate for such deficits. Thankfully, there are ways to help people recognize, improve and work around their areas of executive dysfunction.
As schoolwork gets harder and students are asked to be more independent learners, those with weak executive skills fall further behind. Feeling anxious about what to do and how well they are doing, especially when they’re winging it without a strategy or plan, can easily lead to feeling overloaded and overwhelmed. This, in turn, leads to exhaustion, inattentiveness and a cycle of insecurity and feeling out of control. These feelings, over the long-term, have a detrimental effect on a person’s self-esteem and confidence.
My services can help students and families understand areas of executive function strength and challenge, and provide strategies and practices to improve on these essential skills.