Are you facing challenges with your adolescent’s impulsive behavior? What about them forgetting what you said two seconds ago? Are they emotionally volatile to the point that you try to avoid them? You’re not alone. Many teens who struggle with impulsivity, holding multiple things in their head at once, and managing their emotions actually have some executive skill deficiencies. Let’s explore strategies to support and develop these executive skills.
Executive skills are the cognitive processes that enable us to plan, focus attention, remember instructions, and manage multiple tasks effectively. They’re crucial for navigating daily life successfully. Peg Dawson and Richard Guare, leading researchers in executive functioning, have broken down executive skills into 11 different areas. For more information on executive skills, check out my blog post and YouTube video.
Here’s a breakdown of the first three executive skills and how to nurture them in teenagers:
1. Response Inhibition: The ability to pause before acting and consider consequences.
- Development: Begins in infancy but can be disrupted during adolescence, particularly in peer-driven environments.
- Support Tactics:
- Set clear expectations before social events.
- Encourage delayed gratification.
- Establish rules collaboratively.
2. Working Memory: The capacity to hold and manipulate information in the mind.
- Development: Starts in infancy and evolves with language skills. Adolescents may struggle due to emotional overwhelm.
- Support Tactics:
- Ensure eye contact before giving instructions.
- Minimize distractions.
- Promote note-taking and calendar use.
3. Emotional Control: The ability to regulate emotions and behaviors.
- Development: Begins in infancy and peaks during adolescence, influenced by hormonal changes and brain development.
- Support Tactics:
- Establish clear rules and expectations.
- Practice active listening and negotiation.
- Avoid immediate negative responses.
Nurturing and developing executive skills in teenagers, including response inhibition, working memory, and emotional control, is essential for their academic success and overall well-being. By understanding the developmental stages of these skills and implementing supportive strategies, such as setting clear expectations, minimizing distractions, and practicing active listening, parents and educators can empower adolescents to navigate challenges effectively. With patience, flexibility, and empathy, we can create a supportive environment that fosters the growth of these vital cognitive processes, ultimately enabling teenagers to thrive academically and beyond.