A Nuanced View of Executive Functioning: Addressing Five Common Misconceptions

What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the words executive functioning or executive dysfunction? My guess is most people think of ADHD (Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) because ADHD and executive functioning are often presented as synonymous. While this isn’t completely inaccurate, it’s an overly simplified perspective of a complex psychological concept. In this blog, I provide a more nuanced view of executive functioning by first defining it and then addressing five common misconceptions I encounter.

What is executive functioning?

Executive functioning (aka executive function) is an umbrella term for a set of cognitive processes (or skills) responsible for regulating our thoughts, actions, and emotions. This ongoing regulation helps us achieve goals, problem solve effectively, make sound decisions, and adapt positively to changes. 

You can think of executive functioning as the driver of a car; it controls where you direct your attention, makes sure you stay on the path, puts the brakes on when you’re going too fast, helps you deal with obstacles like taking alternate routes when a road is closed, and, ultimately, gets you to your final destination.

There are many perspectives on the skills and subskills included under executive functioning, as well as how they’re classified and grouped. Discussing these is beyond the scope and relevance of this blog. For the sake of simplicity, here are the most common skills:

• Working memory: holding and manipulating multiple pieces of information at once (e.g., remembering a phone number, following multi-step directions, doing mental math).

• Attention: staying focused for extended periods of time, even on boring or difficult tasks, and filtering out distractions (e.g., listening to someone while drowning everything else out).

• Task initiation: starting tasks immediately, even if they’re boring or difficult.

• Task completion: following through on tasks, projects, or assignments.

• Problem solving: identifying and analyzing a problem, brainstorming solutions, and evaluating the best one.

• Decision making: evaluating different choices and committing to one.

• Metacognition: “thinking about our thinking” or self-awareness and self-reflection (e.g., asking yourself how you’re feeling, why something worked or didn’t work, what you could have done differently).

• Adaptability (or cognitive flexibility): adapting easily to changes in routines, circumstances, people, or the environment (e.g., realizing there are multiple solutions to a problem or more than one way to do things, responding well to setbacks, being open to other people’s opinions or views, switching tasks without becoming confused or dysregulated, accepting when something doesn’t go as planned or your way).

• Planning and prioritizing: thinking ahead and breaking down a big task into smaller components, and prioritizing and strategizing to achieve the task.

• Time management: accurately judging time to meet deadlines and arrive on time to appointments.

• Organization: keeping track of belongings or tasks and thinking in a systematic way.

• Emotional regulation: positively coping with stressful or emotionally charged situations and reacting in a way that is proportionate to the event.

• Self-regulation: committing to goals without being swayed by distractions or temptations and adjusting behavior based on previous experiences.

Now that you know what executive functioning is, hopefully, you'll better understand why the following misconceptions are inaccurate or incomplete.

Misconception #1: Executive functioning includes only planning, time management, and organization. 

Is this what you picture when you imagine someone struggling with executive functioning?

It seems most people automatically picture someone who has a messy desk or living space, is chronically late, and doesn’t follow through. This is only partially true. As I explained in the previous section, executive functioning includes a much wider range of skills than planning, organization, and time management. So, executive dysfunction could also include: being indecisive or impulsive; reacting negatively when overwhelmed or faced with challenges or unexpected changes (e.g., becoming aggressive or defensive, shutting down, using unhealthy coping strategies like binge eating, compulsive shopping, or doomscrolling); or having difficulty setting goals and committing to them. It’s also possible for someone to be organized and manage their time well but still struggle in other areas.

Misconception #2: Executive functioning skills are separate and discrete.

The different executive functioning skills are often presented as separate and discrete for the sake of simplicity. However, these skills are interconnected and, in our daily lives, we use multiple skills simultaneously for any given task. For example, deciding what to eat involves:

• attention (focusing on the task of deciding what to eat),

• working memory (juggling different meal ideas at once), 

• problem solving (figuring out what you already have or don’t have), 

• decision making (choosing a meal to cook or deciding whether, or where, to order takeout),

• planning (what groceries you need and when to buy them), and, potentially, 

• self-regulation (opting for healthier food instead of junk).

I like to think of executive functioning as the trunk of a tree. It’s the foundation for all the branches of our lives and is rooted in a system of skills that communicate with each other. 

Misconception #3: Only people with ADHD experience executive dysfunction.

It’s true that every person with ADHD experiences some degree of executive dysfunction, from mild to severe; however, experiencing executive dysfunction does not automatically indicate ADHD. There are many clinical conditions associated with executive dysfunction, the level of which depends on the severity of the condition. Here are some common ones:

• Depression: People with depression experience anhedonia (emotional numbness or lack of pleasure) and hopelessness, making it difficult for them to feel motivated to start tasks, work on goals, and see different perspectives and outcomes, rather than fixating on negative ones. They also tend to experience chronic fatigue, lack of energy, insomnia, and fluctuating appetites, which can impact their ability to stay focused, remember things, and control impulses. 

• Anxiety: A defining characteristic of anxiety is having recurring thoughts of worry which can impact the ability to concentrate, remember things, and make decisions easily. People with anxiety also struggle with insomnia, restlessness, and irritability, all of which can contribute to difficulties with impulse control, problem solving, and decision making. They also struggle with adapting and regulating their emotions when faced with uncertainty or unexpected events.

• Autism: A common characteristic of autism is the inability to adapt easily to changes in routines, people, or the environment. People with autism can be rigid in their thinking and get emotionally dysregulated when there are unpredictable changes. They often struggle with attention, which stems from their preoccupation with certain topics or sensory-seeking behaviors. They can also struggle with impulse control, such as blurting out socially inappropriate comments, planning, organization, and time management.

• PTSD (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder): People with PTSD typically experience irritability and sleep difficulties which can impact their concentration, memory, and impulse control. They can also feel dissociated from themselves and others, which can impact their adaptability and emotional regulation. 

• Brain-related problems: Conditions, such as traumatic brain injuries or dementia, can also be associated with various executive functioning difficulties, including, but not limited to, inattention, forgetfulness, disorganization, lack of planning, and emotional dysregulation.

Misconception #4: Only people with a diagnosed/diagnosable condition can experience executive dysfunction (or need executive functioning support).

Along the same lines of misconception #3, there’s another common misconception that experiencing executive dysfunction is only associated with a diagnosed or diagnosable condition. Again, this isn’t entirely accurate. 

Different chronic or situational stressors that contribute to sleep difficulties, fatigue, lack of energy, and exhaustion can also impact executive functioning. These factors can include, but are not limited to: a dissatisfying or unhealthy relationship or job; unresolved trauma; or major life changes or events, such as loss of a loved one, moving to a new job or location, starting a business, pursuing a new career, or taking on additional responsibilities like caring for a loved one with a chronic illness or having children. (Note. Sleep difficulties and fatigue may be linked to clinical conditions. Chronic insomnia or other sleep disorders may also be diagnosable as conditions in and of themselves.)

Executive dysfunction, just like any other human condition or psychological phenomenon, occurs on a spectrum. For example, a majority of us experience some level of anxiety, but we don’t all meet the clinical criteria for an anxiety disorder. Along the same lines, we can all experience executive dysfunction, for one reason or another, even if we don’t have a clinical condition. I would argue that most people struggle with some degree of executive dysfunction, though not necessarily in every skill, simply due to the fast-paced nature of our modern-day lives. 

The image below sums up misconceptions #3 and #4. (Note. A person can struggle with executive dysfunction due to more than one factor.) 

Misconception #5: Executive functioning skills are innate, so they can’t be learned.

Executive functioning skills are not innate. We learn them just like we learn how to ride a bike or read and write. They start developing from early childhood through enriching environments that provide opportunities for explicit instruction, hands-on learning, vicarious learning and modeling. Unfortunately, these opportunities are not always available to us during our formative years, so we need to learn the skills later in life. In some instances, such as growing up with childhood trauma or in dysfunctional family dynamics, we may even develop maladaptive coping strategies that we need to unlearn as adults.

Although executive functioning skills can be learned, some people may naturally be more inclined toward some skills compared to other people. For example, just like some people are naturally better at math, some people are naturally more organized or have a better memory, while others need to learn compensatory strategies to be more organized and remember things. 

Final Thoughts

Executive functioning refers to a wide range of life skills we all need to thrive and be successful. They aren't unique to any specific person or clinical condition. Just like eating a healthy diet and exercising are essential regardless of a person’s physical health, learning executive functioning skills is beneficial for everyone. Of course, there are situational or chronic factors that contribute to significant executive dysfunction, which requires the need for more intensive support.

Questions or comments? Leave them below!