Executive functionshelp people plan, organize and complete tasks. Executive function is described in many ways, but in general it is known as the functions of the brain that control our attention and behaviors. The executive functions can be understood as the ‘executive’ or ‘director’ of our attention. Executive functions, located primarily in the prefrontal cortex in the brain, mature gradually over time, coming to full maturity only around the age of 28.
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Impact
- Children and adults with EFD typically get confused easily, feel overwhelmed or don’t know how to start or get organized
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Warning signs include weaknesses in…
1. Inhibition (interrupting one’s actions and controlling the dominant response)
2. Non-Verbal Spatial-Temporal Working Memory (re-seeing the present and the past, resulting in deficient sense of time and time management) 3. Verbal Working Memory (re-hearing the present and the past and rehearsing speech to self-affecting reading, listening and visualizing which impacts comprehension) 4. Emotional/Motivational Self-Regulation (resisting distractions and delaying reactions to aim behaviors toward the future) 5. Planning and Problem Solving (holding complex goals in mind and assembling events in sequence to reach a goal). Can’t persist toward future goals and delay gratification. |
Interventions - Interventions in coping with executive function disorder include time management, integrating strategies for improving executive function skills, and improving working memory.
1. Executive function includes:
a. Working memory
b. Inhibitory control c. Cognitive flexibility 2. Executive skills include:
a. Hot executive function (emotional control)
b. Reflection c. Processing Speed |