What are executive function skills?

Executive function skills are the higher level cognitive processes that allow us to get things done. They are involved in goal-directed behavior.

Executive function skills can be broken down into the following categories:

• Inhibit - the ability to think before acting, to not act on impulse and to evaluate a situation.

  • When a child has difficulty with inhibitory control, you may notice high levels of physical activity, inappropriate physical responses to others, a tendency to interrupt and disrupt group activities, and impulsivity.

• Self-monitor - the ability to understand how one’s behavior impacts others and outcomes, as well as to learn from one’s mistakes.

• When a child has difficulty with self-monitoring they may not realize when they are annoying others, may have unrealistic notions about their own abilities, and may struggle to learn from mistakes.

• Shift - the ability to make transitions, alternate attention and to shift gears.

• When a child has difficulty with shifting their behavior they may be described as “rigid” or inflexible.

• Emotional Control - the ability to modulate emotional responses.

• When a child has difficulty with emotional control they may overreact to seemingly small situations. They may need support to learn how their “engine” is running as well as identifying triggers and coping strategies to improve regulation.

• Initiate - the ability to begin a task or activity and to independently generate ideas, responses or problem-solving strategies.

• When a child has difficulty with initiation they may want to succeed and do a task, but lack the ability to get started. They may have trouble getting started on homework or chores and need extensive prompting and cueing to begin tasks.

• Working Memory - the ability to follow complex instructions (or hold information in mind) in order to complete a task. It is essential for carrying out multistep activities, completing mental arithmetic, and following complex instructions.

• When a child has difficulty with working memory, you may observe they do not remember rules for a specific task or lose track of what answers they have already given. They may also have difficulty sustaining performance and attention to tasks.

• Plan/Organize - the ability to create a roadmap for task accomplishment, such as breaking down tasks/assignments into smaller pieces and making decisions about what is important to focus on and what is not.

• Planning: anticipate future events, set goals, and develop appropriate steps ahead of time to carry out a task or activity. A child may have difficulty with planning large assignments and sequencing steps.

• Organization: bring order to information and to appreciate main ideas or key concepts when learning or communicating information. Ability to organize oral and written expressions and to understand main points in presentations or written materials. The way information is organized can play a crucial role in how it is learned, remembered, and retrieved. 

• Task-Monitor - the ability to check work for mistakes and pay attention to small details.

• A child may have difficulty noticing minor errors in work output, such as not paying attention to detail, making spelling errors, and not checking work for mistakes.

• Organization of Materials - Orderliness of work, play, and storage spaces. Ability to organize, keep track of, and clean up belongings.

• When a child has difficulty with organization of materials they may struggle to gather all the things needed to complete a craft, make a plan, and clean up accordingly.

Why are executive function skills important?

Executive function skills are important because they help a child complete goal-directed tasks and daily routines leading to greater independence in school, in social settings, at home, and during extracurricular activities.

How can occupational therapy help with executive function skills?

Occupational therapy can help improve executive function skills following the use of standardized assessments and parent interviews to pinpoint what domain of executive functioning your child may be struggling with. They can then form a child-centered, unique care plan to help target your child’s goals to help them grow. An occupational therapist may use various strategies to improve executive functioning such as role playing, providing visual schedules for routines, and/or playing games such as Memory and Spot-It.