FAQs

Q:  What are the Cognitive Symptoms of Executive Functioning Impairment?

A: Cognition generally refers to what or how much a person knows or does.  Executive functioning skills describe how or whether the person goes about doing something.

• Impaired memory

• Slowed thinking

• Difficulty organizing

• Oversensitivity to 'overload'

• Confusion

• Impulsivity

• Difficulty with judgment and reasoning

• Difficulty with new situations

• Difficulty with language and words

• Inflexibility of thought

• Concrete thinking

• Attention and concentration

• Lack of initiation

• Denial of disability

Q: What are Executive Functioning Skills?

A: Awareness: Insight of strengths and weaknesses.  Ability to see how the deficits impact on daily life.

Goal Setting: Realistically develop and structure both long and short-term goals appropriate to ability level.

Planning: Structured and non-spontaneous approach to both familiar and new tasks.

Initiation: Start activities and conversations spontaneously, without questions, assistance or prompting.

Inhibition: Independently behave socially-appropriate to changing situations without cueing or being distracted.

Self -Monitoring: Ability to assess behaviors and responses and then make positive corrections during changing situations.

Ability To Change Set: Demonstrate ability to vary behaviors and solutions to problems without relying on past experiences or cues.

Strategic Behavior: Ability to create functional, useful strategies on own by incorporating prior suggestions.