ABOUT EXECUTIVE FUNCTION

The Basics

·       The executive functions all serve a "command and control" function; they can be viewed as the "conductor" of all cognitive skills.

·       Executive functions help you manage life tasks of all types. For example, executive functions let you organize a trip, a research project, or a paper for school.

·       Often, when we think of problems with executive functioning, we think of disorganization. However, organization is only one of these important skills.

The term "executive functioning" has become a common 

A List of Executive Functions

With this example as a base, let's turn back to the question of what specific abilities are covered under the umbrella term of executive functioning. Below is the list of executive functions. Inhibition - The ability to stop one's own behavior at the appropriate time, including stopping actions and thoughts. The flip side of inhibition is impulsivity; if you have weak ability to stop yourself from acting on your impulses, then you are "impulsive."

 1. Shift - The ability to move freely from one situation to another and to think flexibly in order to respond appropriately to the situation.

2. Emotional Control - The ability to modulate emotional responses by bringing rational thought to bear on feelings.

3. Initiation - The ability to begin a task or activity and to independently generate ideas, responses,  or problem-solving strategies.

4.Working memory - The capacity to hold information in mind for the purpose of completing a task.  

5.Planning/Organization - The ability to manage current and future- oriented task demands.

6. Organization of Materials - The ability to impose order on work, play, and storage spaces

7.Self-Monitoring - The ability to monitor one's own performance and to measure it against some standard of what is needed or expected.

The executive functions are a diverse, but related and overlapping, set of skills. In order to understand a person, it is important to look at which executive skills are problematic and to what degree.

 Executive function: A new lens for viewing your child

This theory of how we mentally navigate life offers a new way to view a child's strengths and struggles. By Kristin Stanberry

As each of us goes about daily life, numerous mental processes and skills help us plan for — and respond to — the tasks, challenges, and opportunities we face. Researchers and psychologists have coined the term executive function to describe this constellation of cognitive controls. The dynamics of executive function affect every one of us — young and old, as well as those with and without disabilities. It influences our performance at school, on the job, our emotional responses, personal relationships, and social skills. Yet executive function plays itself out a little differently in each of us; each individual is uniquely strong or competent in some cognitive control areas and weaker in others.

Executive function is a theory developed over the past 20 years. Interest in the theory — and discussion of it — is on the upswing among professionals who treat people with cognitive disabilities, including those with learning disabilities (LD), and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD).

The theory of executive function is not an exact science, nor is it a standard diagnostic category. Even so, it can provide a framework in which parents and professionals can understand a child's level of cognitive ability. When a child struggles with learning, attention, or behavior problems, the concept of executive function can help us sort through and pinpoint where the breakdowns occur in the context of her overall functioning. It may also help highlight a child's areas of strength and talent. Finally, it may help us determine how to support the child's growth and development in areas of struggle.

How do experts define executive function?

"Executive functioning involves activating, orchestrating, monitoring, evaluating, and adapting different strategies to accomplish different tasks.... It requires the ability to analyze situations, plan and take action, focus and maintain attention, and adjust actions as needed to get the job done." Executive function is often compared to the conductor of a symphony orchestra, coordinating and managing many cognitive functions. For kids with LD and/or AD/HD, the interaction of cognitive functions may not always produce a harmonious result.

What abilities are involved in executive function?

Thomas Brown, Ph.D., assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at the Yale University School of Medicine and associate director of the Yale Clinic for Attention and Related Disorders, has proposed a model that includes six clusters of cognitive functions involved in executive function. The following table illustrates Dr. Brown's model (terms used by other experts are shown in italics).
 

"Each cluster operates in rapidly shifting interactive dynamics to do a wide variety of daily tasks that require self-regulation by using attention and memory to guide one's action rather than being micro-managed by someone else," explains Dr. Brown.

How does executive functioning work (or not work) in kids with learning or attention problems?

To better understand how various executive functions play out in a child's daily life; let's examine some common childhood tasks and situations. The tables below list some of the executive functions required in specific situations — and what difficulties result when the necessary executive functions are dysfunctional.

The scenarios described are examples but do not represent a complete list.