The Important Role of Executive Functioning and Self-Regulation in ADHD©

Parents and educators dealing with children (or adults) with ADHD are likely to have heard increasing references to the terms “executive functioning” (EF) and “self-regulation” over the past few years. Numerous books on this topic have appeared during that time along with hundreds of scientific papers focusing on the relationship between these constructs, or ideas, and ADHD. One often hears that ADHD is a disorder of EF or that ADHD involves poor selfregulation. But what does this mean? How are these terms related to each other and to ADHD? Does this have some impact on the way in which one should manage the disorder? The purpose of this guest column is to give a brief overview of these terms and what their involvement in ADHD may mean for understanding its nature and also for planning interventions for those who have the disorder.