🧠 Executive Functions: Keys to Success in Daily Life and School.

🤓 When referring to executive functions , we must consider that they are the processes responsible for directing, guiding, and controlling cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functions when actively solving problems in various contexts, including school, family, and community (Gioia et al., 2017; Gardiner & Iarocci, 2018). In this sense, a term called executive functions of daily activities arises, which refers to a person's executive performance in real-life situations. This allows children from an early age to interpret social information, discriminate between relevant and distracting information, and demonstrate flexibility when switching from one activity to another (Gardiner & Iarocci, 2017). It is worth highlighting that executive functions are linked to adaptive behavior , since they influence the efficient performance of the person in activities related to socialization, communication, personal care and hygiene, use of money, time management or food preparation (Roselló-Miranda, 2018; Bal et al., 2015; Duncan et al., 2018).

🤔 What are the Executive Functions of Daily Activities?

Recently, the concept of executive functions in daily activities has emerged. This refers to a person's executive performance in real-life situations (outside of the consulting room).

These skills allow children, from an early age:

  • Interpreting complex social information.

  • Discriminate between relevant and distracting information.

  • Demonstrate cognitive flexibility when switching from one activity to another (Gardiner & Iarocci, 2017).

It is worth highlighting that executive functions maintain a close link with adaptive behavior . They exert a direct influence on everyday activities such as socialization, communication, personal care and hygiene, money management, and time management (Roselló-Miranda, 2018; Bal et al., 2015).

The Importance of Ecological Validity

Traditional neuropsychological assessment often focuses on "laboratory" functions. However, this sometimes fails to predict how the patient will behave in real life. This is where ecological validity comes in: ensuring that assessment results correspond to situations that occur in everyday life and generalizing clinical concerns to real-life concerns (Burgess et al., 2006).

🔥 Hot Executive Functions vs. 🧊 Cold Executive Functions

To make an accurate diagnosis and provide effective treatment, it is crucial to distinguish between two types of executive processing:

1. 🧊 Cold (Cognitive) Executive Functions

These correspond to purely logical and rational processes, such as:

  • Working memory.

  • Attentional control.

  • Problem solving and planning.

  • Cognitive flexibility.

  • Phonological and semantic fluency.

  • Error detection and response inhibition.

2. 🔥 Hot (Emotional) Executive Functions

They are related to processes with a significant emotional component:

  • Emotional regulation.

  • Emotional decision-making.

  • Social cognition.

  • Interpersonal behavior.

  • Reward processing.

🧐 Clinical Implications

Disorders such as anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), ADHD , and acquired brain injury may present with deficits in warming, cooling, or both types of functions (Ali Salehinejad et al., 2021). A comprehensive assessment should encompass both perspectives to improve treatment.

🤩 Multidimensional Evaluation: The value of ATTENTION

With the aim of offering the best to each of our clients, at Neuropsyedu we use cutting-edge tools such as ATENTO .

The ATENTO is a more up-to-date and comprehensive test that allows for the analysis of executive function measurements from a neurodevelopmental perspective (starting at age 3). This assessment gathers complementary information not typically found in traditional tests. We guarantee a multidimensional measurement , considering everyday, behavioral, and emotional aspects, and triangulating information with parents and school .

👨🏻‍🏫 Neuropsychology in Education: Impact on Learning

The results of a good executive function assessment (such as the ATENTO ) shed light on academic performance . There is a direct correlation between executive functioning and:

  • Reading performance.

  • Performance in mathematics.

  • Language and vocabulary development.

  • Scientific thinking (Clark et al., 2010; Locasio et al., 2010; Rojas, 2017).

Including the school as an informant is vital to contextualize the recommendations of the neuropsychological report and create effective pedagogical strategies.

🔎⚡️ Are you looking for a complete neuropsychological evaluation?

If you're concerned about your child's development, behavior, or learning, remember that Neuropsyedu is your ally . We conduct comprehensive evaluations, assessing both cognitive and behavioral functions for an accurate diagnosis.

📞 Contact: +507 6535 6362 📧 Email: administracion@neuropsyedu.com 🌐 Visit our professional profiles:

📚 Bibliographic References

  • Ali Salehinejad, M., Ghanavati, E., Rashid, M.H.A., & Nitsche, M.A. (2021). Hot and cold executive functions in the brain: A prefrontal-cingular network. Brain and Neuroscience Advances, 5.

  • Bal, V.H., Kim, S.-H., Cheong, D., & Lord, C. (2015). Daily living skills in individuals with autism spectrum disorder from 2 to 21 years of age. Autism, 19(7), 774-784.

  • Burgess, P.W., et al. (2006). The case for the development and use of “ecologically valid” measures of executive function. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 12(2).

  • Clark, C. A., Pritchard, V. E., & Woodward, L. J. (2010). Preschool executive functioning abilities predict early mathematics achievement. Developmental Psychology, 46.

  • Duncan, A., et al. (2018). Preliminary efficacy of a daily living skills intervention for adolescents with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder. Autism, 22(8).

  • Gardiner, E., & Iarocci, G. (2018). Everyday executive function predicts adaptive and internalizing behavior among children with and without autism spectrum disorder. Autism Research, 11(2).

  • Locascio, G., Mahone, E.M., Eason, S., & Cutting, L. (2010). Executive dysfunction among children with reading comprehension deficits. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 43.

  • Roselló Miranda, B., Berenguer Forner, C., & Miranda Casas, A. (2018). Adaptive behavior and learning in children with neurodevelopmental disorders. Revista de Neurología, 66(S01).

  • Waber, D.P., et al. (2006). Executive functions and performance on high-stakes testing in children from urban schools. Developmental Neuropsychology, 29.