You'll often hear that people on the spectrum have problems with "executive functioning" but what does it mean and how does it manifest in young adults?
In this post, I hope to give you some answers.
What are Executive Functions?
Put simply, executive functions are higher level functions such as planning, reasoning, problem solving, multi-tasking, attention span, inhibition, flexibility, self monitoring, self-initiation and self guidance.
Executive functions are important but in an animal sense, a lack of them is usually not life threatening. Eating, sleeping, moving and toileting for example, aren't classed as "executive functions".
While executive functioning provides many advantages, it's not so critical in the pure "animal" sense. It's people and society that has made executive functioning critical in humans.
I know this is a "young children's problem" but many parents of autistic kids still struggle with this well into the early teens.
A parent of a child with good executive functioning might expect to be able to say "get yourself ready for school" or even have their child realise that because it's Tuesday, they need to get ready and wear their sports uniform. This would imply self initiation of tasks.
The getting ready for school task includes sub-tasks such as;
An Example: Get Ready for School
The remainder of this post will focus on an example, in this case; getting ready for school. This may seem like a single task but it is actually an objective made up of many different tasks.I know this is a "young children's problem" but many parents of autistic kids still struggle with this well into the early teens.
A parent of a child with good executive functioning might expect to be able to say "get yourself ready for school" or even have their child realise that because it's Tuesday, they need to get ready and wear their sports uniform. This would imply self initiation of tasks.
The getting ready for school task includes sub-tasks such as;
- Getting your pyjamas off
- Putting your pyjamas under the pillow ready for "after school"
- Putting underpants on
- Deciding whether to wear a sports or normal uniform
- Putting pants on
- Putting a shirt on
- Putting a tie, headband, ribbons etc on
- Putting socks on
- Washing Hands
- Having Breakfast
- Washing hands and face
- Brushing Teeth
- Putting Lunch in the school bag
- Putting Books/Diary in the school bag
- Putting Shoes on
- Getting outside on time.
If there are any distractions available they will quickly become distracted and will fail to complete the task.
If anything changes, for example, if their favourite breakfast cereal isn't available, then they will not have the flexibility to be able to cope with change. They may not be able to do flexible tasks out of order; for example getting their bags packed before breakfast and they may also do inflexible tasks out of sequence, for example putting on their school uniform without taking their pyjamas off first.
If anything changes, for example, if their favourite breakfast cereal isn't available, then they will not have the flexibility to be able to cope with change. They may not be able to do flexible tasks out of order; for example getting their bags packed before breakfast and they may also do inflexible tasks out of sequence, for example putting on their school uniform without taking their pyjamas off first.
At best, the entire "getting ready for school" process will stop. At worst, the inflexibility may even trigger a meltdown.
Inhibition
Then there is the matter of lack of inhibition. You might feel that this simply refers to states of undress, and in this example it could. The lack of Inhibition however refers to a much wider issue.In executive functioning, inhibition refers to a control mechanism which tells us when "enough is enough" or when certain behaviour is unwarranted. For example, a child lacking in inhibition may not realise when a parent is dangerously overwhelmed and may continue to "push buttons" way past a point of safety.
A failure to inhibit their own activities will lead them off-track and prevent the activity from being completed.
The Big Picture
While this probably does sound like your child, the purpose of this post is not to offer solutions to the problems of getting ready for school. You can use this post to answer that question.Executive functioning affects all tasks. Take any sequence of tasks or anything for which good planning and "common sense" is required and you'll spot the executive functioning issues.
This is what we need to be addressing with children on the spectrum.
This is what we need to be addressing with children on the spectrum.
Next time, I'll be looking at executive functioning issues in older teens.
Comments
People are often amazed I get utterly lost and confused when I have to do paperwork, while when asked to write up an summary of the physics behind the formation of black holes, I can do that in minutes.
I've had bosses that forced me to do menial tasks aside my work and found I spent a ridiculous amount of time finishing those supposed small tasks, leaving no time for me to do my actual work.
Then being angry at me for taking so long doing those.
Thats a point where there exists a breakdown of understanding in both ways and where often, in my case, friction and dislike of my current job springs from.
The people I work for are informed in advance that I have these problems yet always end up forcing me to do these things I'm wholly unsuited for anyway.
Then they don't understand why It takes so long and I can't understand why they force me to do these things, while they've known all along they shouldn't.
Good post! Describes my kiddos to a "t", too.
aspmom
"Aspie Wife, Aspie Mom"
I asked my husband to 'move the washing around' - which to me means,
1. move dry washing off the line into basket to be folded.
2. move clean washing from machine to the now empty washing line.
3. move dirty clothing into machine to be washed.
4. turn on washing machine then go fold the dry washing in the basket.
I found my husband lifting the washing machine and moving it around because he is that literal.
So I emailed him my breakdown of what moving the washing around meant to me - ie moving it from one place to the next.
I'd probably have done the same thing with those instructions.
They're best given one line at a time and if possible, incorporated into a regular routine.
I, personally, was diagnosed with Asperger's around 5-6 mo ths ago, which I acknowledged immediately, yet acceptance came about a week ago, where I found your blog (thank you!) but that is irrelevant.
When, as with the washer scenario, I get a certain task given ("move the washing around" for instance) I usually think "what's the point in moving the machine?" and ask why I should do that and ask for clear instructions on what to actually do. If they're not understanding as to why I need the instructions or they find it too obvious, it is usually enough to get me close, if not past the meltdown point.
Morten, 17.
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Thank you so much for explaining this!
If you give them a task they will see all variables. So say for example a modern tyrant (boss) orders them to find out how a piston what works. They will go and figure how the piston and engine work together. The boss does not understand this because their brain does not work. So they will think the aspergers person did not complete the task, when in fact they went above and beyond what they were supposed too. You see they are called disordered because the fucking retard they are talking too cant stand being made a fool of.
If they are placed in an environment, such as Pleistocene Europe, that is normal (modern feminized life is not normal) they would kick the shit out of Neurocrazies.
Oh also they are not good at following instructions because instructions don't take into account instincts. Thats what they are doing when they break the instructions (societies instincts).
Also they are so easily distracted because they following their instincts. In the environment these traits evolved in there was no public school. Your parents taught you. Nowadays parents ship their kids off to school and follow the orders of their government masters. The author of this blog might want to check out www.koanicsoul.com
It’s as tho I constantly have to find strategies to unstick myself. Writing lists helps, but then sometimes I get stuck in the lists too! Oh well.