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Executive Function Disorder

Sgt Romeo

Does anybody else have this?

I have been looking at possible reasons as to why I struggle so much with day to day life, or get stressed very easily over such minor, insignificant things.

Found this table today that describes the most common issues, and found I struggle with at least 10 out of the 12 things:

Executive Function

Real World Example

Task Initiation

Displays procrastination – puts off minor household tasks such as changing lights or doing the dishes after dinner

Planning

Cannot explain priorities and goals – loses out on opportunities such as going to a favorite restaurant due to not making reservations or planning ahead

Organization

Is always looking for something – loses money, keys, wallet, or cell phone on a regular basis

Time Management

Works very slowly – underestimates how much time it will take to complete tasks such as going food shopping or making dinner

Flexibility

Experiences problems with changes in routine and schedule – becomes overly upset when a meeting or plans are changed

Metacognition

Cannot explain how she intends to approach or solve a problem – often feels that things that happen to her are outside of her control

Response Inhibition

Can be impulsive – drinks or gambles too much without considering the impact

Regulation of Affect

Gets angry or upset easily – goes into a rage or angry display in response to a perceived criticism

Social Awareness

Is unaware of other people’s feelings – unknowingly stands too close in conversations or otherwise makes them uncomfortable

Sustained Attention

Starts one thing after another without finishing them or reads a book without paying attention to the content and needs to reread it

Goal-Directed Persistence

Is bored by long-term tasks – starts cleaning the garage or basement and gives up after an hour

Working Memory

Is absent-minded – often forgets items she wants when food shopping

If you have EFD, or agree with a lot of the points above, please can you let me know what you use to cope with different day to day issues.

Thanks

Parents

  • I am only just beginning to label myself as being on the spectrum (no formal diagnosis) but, whilst there are some things that I've always thought could link me to Asperger's, Executive Function Disorder is something that I have only discovered this week and is one of those things that seemed to slot into place with me.

    Task initiation, definitely, assuming that there is any other mess around. If the house is completely clean and tidy and I use a plate then I can wash it. If there are other things lying around then I leave my plate, too. I cannot cope with cleaning it and feel overwhelmed because there is other mess around. I never linked this to any wonder about having Asperger's, but it's something that's always caused difficulty for my poor husband who is often left doing all of the housework because I can't cope and feel overwhelmed. And of course, for him, cleaning up is a gradual job - a bit at a time - so he rarely leaves the house entirely clean so that I can cope, which means that I don't cope, which means that he returns home to more mess. On the rare occasions that he manages a full clean and tidy of the house, I can maintain it until such time that he leaves something out again, then the system crumbles!

    I don't have issues with planning/not making reservations though, as long as I don't have to phone! In fact, I need to plan everything down to the smallest detail, so I'm possibly the opposite of this.

    Organisation I again don't have an issue with as I'm obsessed with keeping my things in their own place.

    Flexibility is a real sticking point for me. I can't cope with routine or schedule changes very well, and also cannot handle if people ask me to do something 'on the day' (though I am improving out of necessity). I prefer to know at least 24 hours ahead of time if a friend wants to see me the next day. I can't do "Do you want to come over today?"

    Working memory, perhaps. I write lists for everything, though. I couldn't go food shopping without a list, and I have to read through it constantly as I'm going around and recheck things in my trolley.

    So far, other than writing lists which I have always done, the only coping mechanism I've found is the '10 things' mechanism which someone on here suggested. When trying to tackle the cleaning/tidying, pick up 10 random things and deal with them. I've always read about just getting on with it, or even 'breaking jobs down into individual tasks', but even that hasn't clicked with me enough to get anything done - what smaller tasks? which ones first? - whilst I've discovered that I am able to just grab any 10 things and deal with them. It's not going to get the job done, but it helps!

    For flexibility, which is now essential in my life, I've learned to cope by waking each day assuming that I'm going to meet a friend already. I find that it's easier for me to adapt to having plans cancelled than having them made, so if I end up not meeting a friend then I can handle that. Far better than waking intending not to have plans, and then someone inviting me out!

Reply

  • I am only just beginning to label myself as being on the spectrum (no formal diagnosis) but, whilst there are some things that I've always thought could link me to Asperger's, Executive Function Disorder is something that I have only discovered this week and is one of those things that seemed to slot into place with me.

    Task initiation, definitely, assuming that there is any other mess around. If the house is completely clean and tidy and I use a plate then I can wash it. If there are other things lying around then I leave my plate, too. I cannot cope with cleaning it and feel overwhelmed because there is other mess around. I never linked this to any wonder about having Asperger's, but it's something that's always caused difficulty for my poor husband who is often left doing all of the housework because I can't cope and feel overwhelmed. And of course, for him, cleaning up is a gradual job - a bit at a time - so he rarely leaves the house entirely clean so that I can cope, which means that I don't cope, which means that he returns home to more mess. On the rare occasions that he manages a full clean and tidy of the house, I can maintain it until such time that he leaves something out again, then the system crumbles!

    I don't have issues with planning/not making reservations though, as long as I don't have to phone! In fact, I need to plan everything down to the smallest detail, so I'm possibly the opposite of this.

    Organisation I again don't have an issue with as I'm obsessed with keeping my things in their own place.

    Flexibility is a real sticking point for me. I can't cope with routine or schedule changes very well, and also cannot handle if people ask me to do something 'on the day' (though I am improving out of necessity). I prefer to know at least 24 hours ahead of time if a friend wants to see me the next day. I can't do "Do you want to come over today?"

    Working memory, perhaps. I write lists for everything, though. I couldn't go food shopping without a list, and I have to read through it constantly as I'm going around and recheck things in my trolley.

    So far, other than writing lists which I have always done, the only coping mechanism I've found is the '10 things' mechanism which someone on here suggested. When trying to tackle the cleaning/tidying, pick up 10 random things and deal with them. I've always read about just getting on with it, or even 'breaking jobs down into individual tasks', but even that hasn't clicked with me enough to get anything done - what smaller tasks? which ones first? - whilst I've discovered that I am able to just grab any 10 things and deal with them. It's not going to get the job done, but it helps!

    For flexibility, which is now essential in my life, I've learned to cope by waking each day assuming that I'm going to meet a friend already. I find that it's easier for me to adapt to having plans cancelled than having them made, so if I end up not meeting a friend then I can handle that. Far better than waking intending not to have plans, and then someone inviting me out!

Children
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