Executive functions enable a person to successfully engage in independent, purposeful and self-serving behaviors. The major executive functions include response inhibition, which permits impulse control, resistance to distraction and delay of gratification; nonverbal working memory, which permits the holding of events in the mind and allows self-awareness across time; verbal working memory, which comprises the internalization of speech and permits self-description, questioning and reading comprehension; and self-regulation of emotion and motivation, which permits persistence toward a goal.
ADHD is a condition characterized by restlessness, impulsivity and distractibility. Highly creative and opportunistic, these persons are prone to anxiety and depression as they fall short of their potential and are frustrated by their challenges. They may or may not have executive functioning difficulties.
