Executive function

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Executive function (EF) is a term used to describe a set of higher order thinking skills that enable planning, problem solving, focusing on a task, and completing goal-directed behaviors. EF involves three types of brain function.

· Working memory is the ability to focus on and manipulate information for a short period of time.

· Mental flexibility helps maintain or shift attention to different demands, revise plans as needed, and follow different rules in different situations.

· Self-control is the ability to inhibit or control initial impulses rather than acting on them immediately. It is a crucial skill for carrying out plans and progressing toward goals.

Executive function skills begin developing in early childhood, and continues to develop through adolescence.

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This project was supported in part by the Georgia Department of Human Services, Division of Family and Children Services and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Community Based Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CFDA 93.590). Points of view or opinions stated in this document are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the Georgia Department of Human Services, Division of Family and Children Services or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Community Based Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CFDA 93.590).