Project Description
Executive function (also known as executive functioning, EF) refers to the cognitive processes that develop through childhood and allow for self-regulation, problem-solving, and the achievement of goals (Cumming et al., 2020). In the school environment, a child struggling with executive functions may have difficulties focusing in class, controlling their emotions and impulses, maintaining relationships, and organizing their time and belongings. In order to promote successful academic and social participation in children, this project explores the impact of EF on daily school activities and provides OT practitioners and educators with various educational materials/resources to encourage skill development and strategy implementation.
Project Planning
I John 3:18- “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”
Needs Assessment
Addressing EF from an occupational therapy perspective is immensely important, especially with school-age students. Research has shown the impact on the occupations of education and social participation. However, barriers for practitioners include feeling ill-equipped to address EF weakness, mislabeling struggles, and a disagreement on OT’s role in developing these skills (Cramm et al., 2013). When these EF difficulties go undetected or misunderstood, secondary problems with mental health and decreased academic motivation results as the student ages (Cramm et al., 2013). This is especially important as adolescents enter middle school as demands and expectations increase and external supports begin to decrease (Fogel et al., 2020; Jacobson et al., 2011). By providing education to educators as well and future and current OT practitioners, these EF weaknesses can be recognized and supported to increase independence and occupational success.
Literature Review
- EF fully matures between adolescence and early 20s (Jacobsen et al., 2017)
- EF skills contribute greatly to mathematical and literacy achievement in school-aged children (Tschida &Yerys, 2022)
- Teachers reported more behavioral problems in the elementary school setting with children who had weaker EF skills (Jacobson et al., 2011)
- EF is associated with emotional regulation and skills such as interpreting cues and choosing appropriate behavioral responses, making it an essential factor in influencing social interactions in daily activities (Fogel et al., 2020)
- Social and cognitive demands of an activity, attitudes of teachers and staff, and relationships with peers are all meaningful in predicting successful daily functioning for adolescents that face EF struggles (Fogel et al., 2020)
Project Roles
Faculty Mentor: Patricia Henton, OTD, OTR/L, ICA, CEIM
Dr. Henton served as my faculty mentor throughout my doctoral capstone experience. With her background and expertise in pediatric practice, she provided beneficial feedback and guidance in the areas of research and education from an occupational therapy perspective.
Expert Mentor: Maayan Glaser-Koren, MA, ET/P, ADHD-CE
Maayan served as my expert mentor throughout the doctoral capstone experience. She works as an educational therapist and has much experience providing EF coaching to children and teens. Maayan was able to share experiences, answer questions, and provide helpful feedback based on her knowledge which greatly contributed to my overall understanding of EF.
Project Outcomes
Deliverable 1: Certificate of Completion from CEU Course on Executive Functioning
Deliverable 2: Online Survey Design and Approval
Deliverable 3: Case Scenario for Teaching Purposes
Deliverable 4: Data Analysis Spreadsheet
Deliverable 5: Research Infographic
Deliverable 6: PowerPoint and Supplemental Resources from Workshop Presentation
Deliverable 7: Educational Webpage
Project Impact
Education: Educated future occupational therapy practitioners on the importance of EF and provided educators and OT practitioners with various strategies and resources to develop these skills in children for increased occupational engagement.
Research: Gathered and analyzed data from educators and OT practitioners to raise awareness and address the impact of EF in the school environment and overall occupational participation.
Future Directions
Following graduation, I plan to pursue pediatric practice where I can utilize the knowledge gained through this capstone experience and implement tools and strategies to develop EF skills and advocate for their importance in academic and social activities. I hope my work will continue to benefit OT practitioners and educators who desire to see children grow and achieve their goals.
Contact Information
Email: jestera@huntington.edu or jestergaubrey@gmail.com
References
Cramm, H., Krupa, T., Missiuna, C., Lysaght, R. M., & Parker, K. C. H. (2013). Broadening the occupational therapy toolkit: An executive functioning lens for occupational therapy with children and youth. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 67(6), e139–e147. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2013.008607
Cumming, M. M., Bettini, E., Pham, A. V., & Park, J. (2020). School-, classroom-, and dyadic-level experiences: A literature review of their relationship with students’ executive functioning development. Review of Educational Research, 90(1), 47–94. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654319891400
Fogel, Y., Rosenblum, S., & Josman, N. (2020). Environmental factors and daily functioning levels among adolescents with executive function deficits. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 83(2), 88–97. https://doi.org/10.1177/0308022619876557
Jacobsen, G. M., De Mello, C. M., Kochhann, R., & Fonseca, R. P. (2017). Executive functions in school-age children: Influence of age, gender, school type and parental education: executive functions in school-age children. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 31(4), 404–413. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.3338
Jacobson, L. A., Williford, A. P., & Pianta, R. C. (2011). The role of executive function in children's competent adjustment to middle school. Child neuropsychology: A journal on normal and abnormal development in childhood and adolescence, 17(3), 255–280. https://doi.org/10.1080/09297049.2010.535654
Tschida, J. E., & Yerys, B. E. (2022). Real-world executive functioning for autistic children in school and home settings. Autism, 26(5), 1095–1107. https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613211041189