executive functioning: a home visitor perspective luke quinn, msw
TRANSCRIPT
EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING:A HOME VISITOR PERSPECTIVE
Luke Quinn, MSW
Learning Objectives
Understand basics of Executive Functioning as it applies to infants and toddlers
Learn practical activities to enhance Executive Functioning in early childhood
Develop ideas for supporting Executive Function development with families
First: our own Executive Functioning
Instructions: circle numerical answers and total each section
Strongly Disagree Disagree Tend to
DisagreeTend to Agree Agree Strongly
Agree
I don't jump to conclusions 1 2 3 4 5 6
I think before I speak 1 2 3 4 5 6
I make sure I have all the facts before I take action
1 2 3 4 5 6
Section A Total:13
Adapted from Executive Skills Questionnaire for Adults by Peg Dawson & Richard Guare
Executive Skills Questionnaire
Your EF Strengths (highest totals) Your EF Challenges (lowest totals)
Any Surprises? Thoughts? Implications for our work with families
and children?
Executive Function
Our very own air traffic control system
Executive Function Skills
Working Memory - the ability to hold and manipulate information in our heads over short periods of time
Marshmallow Experiment
Inhibitory Control- the ability to master and filter our thoughts and impulses to resist temptations and distractions
Mental Flexibility – the ability to switch gears and adjust to changing demands, priorities, or perspectives
Working Memory (to hold)
7-9 MONTHS Develops ability to remember that unseen objects are still there and learns to put two actions together in a sequence
9-10 MONTHS Can execute simple means-to-ends tasks and two-step plans; also able to integrate looking one place and acting at another place
3 YEARS Can hold in mind two rules and act on those rules
ADULT Can remember multiple tasks, rules, and strategies that vary by situationfrom Center on Developing Child, Working Paper 11
Inhibitory Control (to wait)
6 MONTHS Rudimentary response inhibition
8-11 MONTHS Begins to maintain focus despite distractions during brief delays in a task; also able to inhibit reaching immediately for a visible but inaccessible object
4-5 YEARS Can delay eating a treat; also can begin to hold an arbitrary rule in mind and follow it
ADULT Consistent self-control; situationally appropriate responses
from Center on Developing Child, Working Paper 11
Mental Flexibility (to switch)
from Center on Developing Child, Working Paper 11
9-11 MONTHS Develops ability to seek alternate methods to retrieve objects beyond directly reaching for what’s in view
2-5 YEARS Succeeds at shifting according to changing rules based on different settings or circumstances
ADULT Able to revise actions and plans in response to changing circumstances
The Opportunity: Circuits for Executive Function Skills Are Located in Brain Regions that Exhibit an Extended Period
of Plasticity
Weintraub, et al., (2011)
Birth
Age (Years)
50 70 80
EF S
kill p
rofi
cie
ncy
3 5 15 25 3010
Slide courtesy of the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University
How to share this with families? How could you start the
conversation? How to continue the conversation? Questions you might ask Observations you could make How to make it practical? How do you feel about the term
“Executive Function” – do you have a better term for parents?
Activities to build EF Skills
http://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/
Working Memory (to hold)
For INFANTS (birth to 18 months) Peekaboo Hide-and-Find Rhymes, Songs, Fingerplays Imitation Games
For TODDLERS (18 to 36 months) Matching and Sorting Conversations and Storytelling
Inhibitory Control (to wait)
For INFANTS (birth to 18 months) Back and Forth Activities Peekaboo Naming for your baby
For TODDLERS (18 to 36 months) Freeze Dance Active Songs Talking about Feelings
Mental Flexibility (to switch)
For INFANTS (birth to 18 months) Rattle Play Symbolic Play
For TODDLERS (18 to 36 months) Pretend Play Silly Sorting
Spotlight on Game Play
A Game has at least one rule to remember (Working Memory) and requires waiting and/or turn-taking (Inhibitory Control). As they play, children may need to try new tactics (Mental Flexibility) to be successful.
All sorts of games Home-made, Songs, Imitation, Active
Support parents to support their children
ThinkFun Games
Ages: 18 months and up
ThinkFun Games
Ages: 18 months and up
Improvement on test of Mental Flexibility
Trained Untrained60
70
80
90
100
110
120
PrePost
Age-
adju
sted
Sco
re Average for normed sample
NIH toolboxCard Sort Test
How to encourage EF activities?
What are families already doing? Where could this fit into your home
visit? Does this fit with other models you
are using? Will parents care?
Resources
Activity Cards
Android and iPhone App
Online Resourceshttp://www.joinvroom.org/tools-and-activities
*scroll to bottom of page for link to printable cards in Spanish and English
Resources
Activities Guide Working Papers and InBriefs Videos
A few in Spanish and Portuguese Online Training Modules
EF and Building Brain Architecture (WA DEL)
http://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/
Resources
Videos Brain Architecture, EF, Serve and Return, Toxic Stress
Learning Cards PowerPoint Presentations
http://www.albertafamilywellness.org/building-better-brains
