It's ‘can't,’ not ‘won't’: Don't judge executive function delays

Abstract

Executive functions are necessary for emotion and behavior regulation. They represent a concept entailing skills that we use almost every minute of our lives, but don't really think about. Only when we end up in disarray, do we realize that we have not used our executive function skills in a masterful fashion. These skills include quickly switching gears, screening for relevant information, keeping information in mind, and staying calm, among others.