Understanding Executive Function Skills

Executive function skills are a complex set of cognitive processes that help individuals achieve their goals by breaking them down into manageable steps. These skills include time management, organization (both physical and mental), focus attention, impulse control, task initiation, emotional regulation, flexibility, planning and problem-solving, working memory, and metacognition. Post-pandemic, task initiation has been particularly challenging for many students. The core populations with executive function deficits often include individuals with ADHD.