Executive Functioning (EF):

Executive Functioning (EF), or Self-Regulation Deficits, is the ability to differentiate among conflicting thoughts, determine good and bad, better and best, same and different, future consequences of current acts, working toward a defined goal, predicting outcomes, setting expectations based on actions, and social “control” (suppressing urges leading to socially unacceptable outcomes) — aided further by the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Many with ADHD have impaired EF or self-regulation deficits — problems with future-directed actions, emotional regulation, attention, memory, and judgement.