Executive Functioning Assessment
Executive functions, the internal processes that involve managing various elements at once to achieve a goal, apply to how we all function and process information. They are a collective term for neurologically-based skills involving mental control and self-regulation that we all possess. Any process or goal pursuit that requires time management, decision-making, and storing information in one’s memory uses executive functions to some degree. Understanding these functions is key to everyone, from educators and psychologists to parents and individuals interested in understanding cognitive processes.
The executive functioning profile includes the following components:
Inhibition: Ability to stop one's own behavior (actions/thoughts) at the appropriate time
Flexible Thinking: Ability to move freely from one situation to another and to think flexibly to respond appropriately to the situation
Emotional Control: Ability to modulate emotional responses by bringing rational thought to bear on feelings.
Initiation: Ability to begin a task or activity and to independently generate ideas, responses, or problem-solving strategies
Working Memory: Capacity to hold information in mind to complete a task
Planning: Ability to manage current and future-oriented task demands
Organization: Ability to impose order on work, play, and storage spaces
Self-Monitoring: Ability to monitor one's performance and to measure it against some standard of what is needed or expected
While executive functions (EF) are brain-based, they are also skills that can be strengthened, mediated, and addressed through targeted interventions. For families not interested in a full psychological battery, this assessment can provide you with a profile of how your child learns, including areas of strength and weakness. This includes a dynamic battery of formal and informal measures to screen for all the areas of executive functioning, including measures to assess symptoms of ADHD. The report will provide suggestions for learning accommodations in school, academic strategies, environment suggestions, and potential parenting practices that suit your child’s needs.
Please note that this assessment does not include academic or cognitive functioning components, so it costs less. It will provide specific recommendations and accommodations for the school setting, but if you are concerned about a potential learning disability, then a psycho-educational battery should be considered instead.