Hey! I saw it mentioned in a post that there are 5 exectutive functions and adhd effects all of them - what are those? I keep reading abt it and it's like looking in a mirror, I can't tell if its my anxiety or maybe adhd causing executive dysfunction
I’m not sure which post it was you saw, but this is a difficult question to answer because there is no agreement on any particular executive functions. There are a lot of models describing executive functions; some of them say there are three domains of EF, some say there are 8, and some say there are 5. Basically, it varies a lot. Generally though, executive functions are defined as “a set of cognitive processes – including attentional control, inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility, as well as reasoning, problem solving, and planning – that are necessary for the cognitive control of behavior” (taken from Wikipedia).
Check out our executive dysfunction tag for more on that.
I got curious and looked up some stuff (hi @shanhammer, you know I’m like this!) and here’s the links and a quick summary.
Wikipedia on Executive Functions:
The executive system is thought to be heavily involved in handling novel situations outside the domain of some of our 'automatic' psychological processes that could be explained by the reproduction of learned schemas or set behaviors. Psychologists Don Norman and Tim Shallice have outlined five types of situations in which routine activation of behavior would not be sufficient for optimal performance:[13][page needed]
Those that involve planning or decision making
Those that involve error correction or troubleshooting
Situations where responses are not well-rehearsed or contain novel sequences of actions
Dangerous or technically difficult situations
Situations that require the overcoming of a strong habitual response or resisting temptation.
Wikipedia on Executive Dysfunction:
The main focus of current research has been on working memory, planning, set shifting, inhibition, and fluency.
WebMD on Executive Function:
Types of Executive Function
Executive function can be divided into two groups:
Organization: Gathering information and structuring it for evaluation
Regulation: Taking stock of your surroundings and changing behavior in response to it
Warning signs that a child may be having problems with executive function include trouble in:
Estimating how much time a project will take to complete
Telling stories (verbally or in writing)
Starting activities or tasks
I’m not sure exactly what the five executive functions are (and I wondered that when I read the post too) but this is what I learned. I expect it’s either that first list of five situations or the list of research focus areas.
There, now I can close those tabs. ;)
