The Executive Functions

Inhibition - Inhibition is the ability to delay action. This is believed to be the most basic and important executive function as it lays the foundation for self-control and deliberate thoughtful behavior. When inhibition is not sufficiently developed, impulsive behaviors can disrupt adaptive functioning. Impulsive people may find it difficult to take responsibility for their behavior because it may not be planned or intended. Instead, excuses are made, personal accountability is minimized or denied, or others are blamed. Difficulty with inhibition affects appropriate awareness of and sensitivity to the reactions of parents, teachers or peers.

Task initiation - Getting started on necessary, but not necessarily interesting tasks, poses considerable difficulty for those with attention disorders. Procrastination is quite common and very difficult to overcome. The only motivator for action is often the panic of impending deadlines or fear of failure. Waiting until the last minute diminishes the quality of work, as in the rush to get the job done, the time management, organization, and planning necessary to do a good job are compromised.

Focus and resisting distractions - Once a task is begun, concentration must be maintained long enough to see it through. Distractibility and frequently shifting attention can be significant obstacles for those with attention disorders. The balance between concentration and distraction swings from veering off task when the tasks are of low interest, to hyper-focus and a loss of time awareness when they are of high interest.

Sustaining effort - Sufficient mental and physical energy is needed to stave off tiredness and complete tasks of low interest. Those with attention disorders struggle to maintain their wakefulness and alertness. They become tired too quickly when concentrating, but not quickly enough when it’s time to go to sleep. The ineffective regulation of alertness and mental energy results in diminished effort. Boredom and loss of interest, focus, and energy quickly set in.

Emotional control - Reacting with an appropriate degree of emotional intensity is necessary for completing work and maintaining relationships. Those with attention disorders can show very low frustration tolerance, so coping with the stresses of day-to-day life can be difficult or overwhelming. Un-modulated emotional intensity leads to disproportionate reactions to even very small things. Yelling, tears, irritability, anger, worry, anxiety and sadness can seem out of proportion.

Working and retrieval memory - These memory functions are almost always compromised in people with attention disorders. Working memory’s purpose is to hold information in the mind when a person is working on a task. When working memory is not effective, information does not “stick” in the mind. This leads to gaps in understanding, knowledge, or awareness of what needs to be done. In addition, information that was learned in the past, or studied the previous night, may not be retrieved when it’s needed, hindering a person with an attention disorder’s ability to learn from his past experiences or to anticipate the future.

Planning and Organization - Those with attention disorders frequently misplace things. Their backpacks, binders, lockers, and desk drawers are incredibly messy, stuffed to the gills with crumpled papers. Their inability to plan and manage their time interferes with completing daily assignments or long-term projects. Sometimes when work is completed, it is misplaced, forgotten, or simply not submitted.

Flexibility - The ability to shift and alter one’s behavior fosters adaptation to changing circumstances. Those with attention disorders may have difficulty with transitions or persist with unsuccessful strategies. A lack of flexibility impairs one’s ability to solve problems.

Self-Monitoring - Keeping track of what one is doing in real time leads to both healthy self-awareness and control over the quality of what one is doing. Those with attention disorders may miss important details in their environments, precluding them from doing their best academically, interpersonally, or vocationally or professionally.