Executive Functioning Skills in Children and Adolescents: How to Support Development and Success

Executive functioning skills are often talked about, but what are they exactly? In this post, we break down what executive functions are, why they are important, some signs of executive dysfunction, and what you can do to build executive functioning in your children (and yourself!).

What are executive functioning skills?

Executive Functioning (EF) is like the “manager” or CEO of the brain. EF skills are brain-based, cognitive processes that help us regulate behavior, achieve goals, make decisions, plan, organize, control our emotions and impulses, and shift between situations [1, 2]. Essentially, EF skills help us accomplish tasks [3] and become increasingly independent. There are 12 main executive functioning skills [1]:

Why are Executive Functioning Skills important?

EF skills are extremely important for our success, they allow us to be creative, think flexibly, and control our behaviour [4]. EF skills allow us to play with ideas, adapt to changing situations, consider what to do next, remain focused, and overcome challenges [4]. Research has found that EF skills are often impaired in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) [5], Depression [6], Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) [7], autism [8], and anxiety [9]. Poor EF skills also can lead to social problems, such as reckless behavior and emotional outbursts [10]. In addition, strengthening EF skills can help improve school readiness in young children [11].

What are the Signs of Executive Functioning Challenges?

Your child may be experiencing challenges with EF skills if they [3]:

Have difficulty starting or finishing tasks (e.g., may walk away while unloading the dishwasher or may procrastinate starting tasks)
Have challenges with prioritizing (e.g., unsure what is most important)
Forget what you just said to them
Have trouble following multi-step directions (e.g., they may only remember the first two steps)
Experience challenges when routines change
Have difficulty switching their focus (e.g., transitioning from video games to homework or doing one assignment and then starting another)
Have difficulty remaining organized or or constantly losing items

It is important to note that having challenges with EF skills is not a formal diagnosis; however, challenges in these areas are common for those who think and learn differently [3]. Although difficulties with EF skills can make learning more difficult [3], this does not mean that one cannot practice EF skills or that they are not capable of success. Those who experience EF challenges are just as capable as those who do not experience any challenges with EF skills - EF skills can be taught and strengthened!

What can Parents and Caregivers do to Build Executive Functioning Skills in their Children?

There are various strategies that parents and caregivers can try to help promote, strengthen, and build EF skills in their children. The following table lists different strategies that may work for you and you are your family. However, it is important to remember that not all strategies may work for your child. Try out a couple strategies and see how they work for your family.

Some great resources for building EF skills across the lifespan are Smart but Scattered (for children) and Smart but Scattered Teens by Peg Dawson and Richard Guare (https://www.smartbutscatteredkids.com/) (Note: we don’t receive any kickback for suggesting these resources - we just really love them!)

Conclusion

Every child has their own individual strengths and challenges. It is important to remember that we are always learning and growing throughout our lives. If your child has challenges with EF skills, you can try some of the strategies above (or other strategies may work better for your family!) If you are concerned about your child’s EF skills and find that various strategies do not seem to be effective or helpful, we would be happy to talk about a potential assessment. Please feel free to contact us at info@highpointpsychology.com.

References

[1] Smart But Scattered Kids. (2024). Definition of terms. Retrieved from https://www.smartbutscatteredkids.com/about/terms/

[2] Ehmke, R. (2024). Helping kids who struggle with executive functions. Child Mind Institute. Retrieved from https://childmind.org/article/helping-kids-who-struggle-with-executive-functions/

[3] Belsky, G. (n.d). Helping kids who struggle with executive function. Understood. Retrieved from https://www.understood.org/en/articles/what-is-executive-function

[4] Diamond, A. (2013). Executive functions. Annual review of psychology, 64, 135–168. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-113011-143750

[5] Lui, M., & Tannock, R. (2007). Working memory and inattentive behaviour in a community sample of children. Behavioral and brain functions, 3(12). https://doi.org/10.1186/1744-9081-3-12

[6] Taylor Tavares, J. V., Clark, L., Cannon, D. M., Erickson, K., Drevets, W. C., & Sahakian, B. J. (2007). Distinct profiles of neurocognitive function in unmedicated unipolar depression and bipolar II depression. Biological psychiatry, 62(8), 917–924. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2007.05.034

[7] Penadés, R., Catalán, R., Rubia, K., Andrés, S., Salamero, M., & Gastó, C. (2007). Impaired response inhibition in obsessive compulsive disorder. European psychiatry: the journal of the Association of European Psychiatrists, 22(6), 404–410. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eurpsy.2006.05.001

[8] Ellis Weismer, S., Kaushanskaya, M., Larson, C., Mathée, J., & Bolt, D. (2018). Executive Function Skills in School-Age Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Association With Language Abilities. Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHR, 61(11), 2641–2658. https://doi.org/10.1044/2018_JSLHR-L-RSAUT-18-0026

[9] Visu-Petra, L., Miclea, M., & Visu-Petra, G. (2013). Individual differences in anxiety and executive functioning: a multidimensional view. International journal of psychology : Journal international de psychologie, 48(4), 649–659. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207594.2012.656132

[10] Denson, T. F., Pedersen, W. C., Friese, M., Hahm, A., & Roberts, L. (2011). Understanding impulsive aggression: Angry rumination and reduced self-control capacity are mechanisms underlying the provocation-aggression relationship. Personality & social psychology bulletin, 37(6), 850–862. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167211401420

[11] Mattera, S., Rojas, N. M., Morris, P. A., & Bierman, K. (2021). Promoting EF with preschool interventions: Lessons learned from 15 years of conducting large-scale studies. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 640702. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.640702

Blog post written by Kassandra Burk and Dr. Andrea Stelnicki.

The information contained in this blog post is based on a narrative review of available literature. Some studies may have been unintentionally omitted. You are advised to speak with a healthcare professional to determine if the information is appropriate to your specific circumstances.