“The Executive Functions are specific types of self-regulation or self-directed actions that people use to manage themselves effectively in order to sustain their actions (and problem-solving) toward their goals and the future.”
— Russell A. Barkley,

What are Executive Functions?

Completing assignments, meeting deadlines and managing time require us to marshal our cognitive and emotional capacities to get the job done. Executive functions are the brain-based capacities that enable us to accomplish tasks by regulating our emotions, attention, and behavior. Research done by Drs. Peg Dawson, Richard Guare, Russell A. Barkley, Thomas E. Brown, and others reveals the following capacities involved in the execution functions. Individuals with executive function skills weaknesses exhibit many of the following:

PLANNING

  • Are unable to complete long-term assignments
  • Have difficulty with problem-solving

ORGANIZATION

  • Bedroom and work areas are disorganized
  • Are unable to organize tasks and activities

TIME MANAGEMENT

  • Live in the present with little sense of future consequences
  • Lose track of time when performing a preferred activity

METACOGNITION

  • Are unable to respond to feedback and adjust accordingly
  • Find it difficult to monitor or evaluate their performance

FLEXIBILITY

  • Have difficulty with transitions
  • Struggle to overcome setbacks

WORKING MEMORY

  • Quickly forget steps, directions, and complex information
  • Have poor reading comprehension

EMOTIONAL CONTROL

  • Struggle to maintain friendships, relationships, or play on sports teams
  • Have difficulty managing anxiety or frustrations when doing work

RESPONSE INHIBITION

  • Make impulsive decisions and purchases
  • Have difficulty pulling themselves away from certain activities, such as video gaming, etc.

SUSTAINED ATTENTION

  • Are easily distracted by their own irrelevant thoughts
  • Feel tired or fall asleep while doing tasks

TASK INITIATION

  • Procrastinate
  • Require several prompts to begin a non-preferred task

GOAL-DIRECTED PERSISTENCE

  • Exhibit a pattern of incomplete projects and tasks
  • Don't follow through on promises

 

If you identify with several of the executive function deficits described above, then you or your student may benefit from executive functional skills coaching.