ADHD and Executive Functions

ADHD and Executive Functions Presented by: Jennifer Tiviluk, MA, RP, CCC www.jennifertiviluk.ca 416‐576‐0690 Part 1 : Executive Functions 101 Part 2: A bit of Science of ADHD and EF Agenda Part 3: DIY Executive Functioning Scaffolding Part 4 ‐ Hands on Workshop Understand your Executive Function Profile Executive Functions are a broad range of high‐ level information‐processing functions that are crucial to success in life, especially as an adult. Executive skills refer to the brain‐based, cognitive processes that help us to regulate our behavior, make decisions and set Executive and achieve goals. Functions 101 Executive skills develop between birth and age 25 and improve with practice. For this presentation I will use Peg Dawson’s model of Executive Functioning. This model looks at 11 Executive Functions. 1) F**k You!, CeeLo Green Emotional Control –The ability to manage emotions to follow through on tasks and to control and direct behaviour towards the future. 2) The Times They Are A Changing, Bob Dillon Flexibility –Adaptability to changing situations or conditions. Top 11 Executive Functions 3) Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson) Hit List Goal Directed Persistence ‐The capacity to have a goal and follow through in spite of competing priorities and temptations. 4) Both Sides Now, Joni Mitchell Metacognition –The ability to stand back and evaluate yourself to get a big picture of your problem solving. 5) Getting Better, Lennon‐McCartney Organization –The ability to setup and use systems for information and/or materials. 6) The Long and Winding Road, Lennon‐McCartney Planning and Prioritization –The ability to develop a roadmap to reach a goal or complete a task. Top 11 Executive Functions 7) You Can’t Always Get What You Want, The Rolling Stone, Keith Richards Hit List and Mick Jagger Response Inhibition ‐The capacity to think before you act or speak. 8) The Thrill is Gone, Roy Hawkins Sustained Attention –The capacity to focus on a task or situation in Get Into The Groove, Madonna Task Initiation–The ability to get started on a task or project. 10) Time in A Bottle, Jim Croce Time Management –The ability to estimate and manage time. Also, stay within time limit and meet Top 11 Executive Functions Hit deadlines. List 11) Don’t You Forget About Me, Simple Minds, Keith Forsey and Steve Schiff Working Memory–The capacity to focus on a task or situation in spite of distractibility, fatigue or boredom. ADHD affects the frontal lobes of the brain’s high level information processing including the Executive Functions. Some parts of the ADHD brain are 3‐5% smaller A Little Bit with less blood flow in the right frontal region of About the brain. ADHD Neurotransmitters explains inconsistency of Neurology performance in ADHD (blinkey hard‐drive). Neurotypical Executive Functions finish developing around 25. ADHD brains development finishes around the age of 30. Qualities of Executive Functions FUTURE ORIENTED ACTIVITIES AND GOALS UNIQUE BLEND OF STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES REGULATE OUR BEHAVIOUR SENSE OF TIME AND PASSAGE OF TIME Major ADHD and Executive Functions Behaviourial Disorder Learning Neurological Challenges The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. (Benjamin Franklin) We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we All had ADHD created them. (Albert Einstein) One of the basic rules of the universe is that nothing is perfect. Perfection simply doesn't exist.....Without imperfection, neither you nor I would exist (Stephen Hawking) Understand how ADHD impacts your Executive DIY Executive Functioning. Functions Use the outside environment “prosthetic environment” or “scaffolding” to replace or enhance weak executive Or How to function. create an Think about what you can use to externalize it ‐ person, external hard‐ place or thing. Be creative – think out of the box. drive for your brain. Be realistic about your target improvement. Use external devices, notebooks, people, post it and in site strategies Not being realistic in your goals ie expecting to get it right 100% of the time Giving up too quickly Not using external environmental modifications Pitfalls to DIY Relying on sheer will to get things Scaffolding done –leads to burnout Negative self talk which can lead to /all or nothing thinking Not incorporating learning and tweaking the process. Remind yourself of benefits. Flexible and detective mindset. Coaching self‐talk (have a few sayings to keep you going). Mindset Matters Too…… Creative out of the box solutions/not neurotypical approaches. Maintaining open‐minded curious approach vs judgmental all or nothing thinking. Expect to fail a few times. What is your acceptance factor? Target Goal Mitigate Most of the time 75%‐80% Can you build a reward in for completion? What did you learn? Build learnings back into Accept Environmental modification 1 Environmental modification 2 Outsource remainder modifications? Questions??? Hands on Exercise 1) complete your executive function assessment 2) Define a problem –losing keys, forgetting phone, not getting started on things etc…. 3) Complete the worksheet for scaffolding design 4) Group discussion References References Barkley, Russell A. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Handbook of Diagnosis and Treatment. 4th Edition. The Guildford Press. Dawson, Peg and GuareRichard. Coaching Students with Executive Skills Deficits. The Guilford Press. Guare, Richard; Guare, Colin and Dawson, Peg. Smart but Scattered and Stalled. The Guildford Press. Tuckman, Ari. More Attention Less Deficit: Success Strategies for Adults with ADHD. Specialty Press Inc. Tuckman, Ari. Integrative Treatment for Adult ADHD.: A Practical Easy‐to‐Use Guide for Clinicians. New Harbinger Publications, Inc..

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