Your mental health toolkit, part 1
The intersection of mental health and executive function
As an accessibility and mental health advocate, I wholeheartedly believe that we should be able to talk about mental health without fear of stigma. In this article, I’ll be discussing where mental health meets executive function. If you are human, you have executive function, and you may experience challenges in some way or another.
What is executive function?
The Encyclopedia of Infant and Early Childhood Development (Second Edition 2020) defines executive function as a “collection of cognitive skills (inhibition, working memory updating, task-set switching, attention) that give rise to goal-directed behavior” (Science Direct). Executive function (EF) can be divided into two categories:
- Organizational abilities (i.e. gathering information and structuring for evaluation) – attention, concentrating and controlling mental focus, planning, sequencing, problem-solving, working memory, cognitive flexibility, abstract thinking, rule acquisition, selecting relevant sensory information, analyzing and processing information
- Regulatory abilities (i.e. evaluating the available information and modulating responses to that environment) – starting tasks, self-control, emotional regulation, assessing yourself on tasks and behaviors, tuning out distractions, moral reasoning, decision-making (Weill Institute for Neurosciences; ADDitude)
This framework is not the only way to describe EF. Other researchers present EF into different clusters or models that show relationships between different aspects of EF (CHADD; Understood). These other models may make more sense to your brain, so feel free to check them out!
How is executive function/ing related to mental health?
Mental health, as defined by the World Health Organization, is “a state of well-being in which the individual realizes [their] own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to [their] community”. Your mental health can directly impact the efficacy of your executive function skills in both work and learning contexts and your ability to effectively manage stress. Executive function skills enable you to adapt to different situations, learn, reason, solve problems, remember details, process information, manage stress, and self-reflect. All of these abilities integrate with and improve your overall mental health and well-being.
Why should iSchool grads care about executive function?
According to Medical News Today, executive function issues “can affect everything from how a person interacts with other people to their ability to learn and work”. According to several research studies, such as those conducted by Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, executive function is one of the most reliable predictors of success, both in terms of academic success and in life overall (Edutopia). This research demonstrates that these are essential life skills!
Everyone experiences executive function challenges in different ways, whether you are able-bodied, neurodiverse, or disabled (Understood). Especially in times of high and prolonged stress, such as the present COVID-19 pandemic, being aware of how executive function can affect mental health and developing effective executive function strategies may prove beneficial to both iSchool students and working LIS professionals in their personal and work lives.
Resources for Strategies
- Strengthen Executive Function Skills During Distance Learning (CHADD): This article offers tips on implementing effective organization, time management, and completing tasks in distance learning contexts.
- How Accommodations Can Help People with Executive Function Issues Thrive at Work (CareerWise): These accommodations and strategies are applicable to anyone experiencing executive function challenges in workplace settings. Many of these suggestions are transferable to learning environments too.
- Executive Function Deficits, Higher Level Employees, and Accommodations (Job Accommodation Network): This introduction offers suggestions for certain aspects of executive function, such as memory, organization and prioritization, multitasking, and fatigue. At the bottom of the page is a link to more extensive executive function accommodations and strategies, including apps to aid concentration and memory, checklists, color coding systems, environmental changes, schedule solutions, planners, and more!
Resources for Support
- UW-Madison University Health Services – Mental Health Services: There is a treasure trove of virtual mental health and wellness services and resources. Check out the mental health videos about grounding exercises, remote work, and coping strategies. You can also make a therapy appointment with a health care provider to discuss executive functioning strategies. UHS has counseling services available for campus students, but you can meet with any therapist who is covered by your insurance network or who offers no- or low-cost drop-in services.
- UW-Madison McBurney Disability Resource Center: If you’d like to know more about executive function, be sure to reach out to McBurney’s access consultants. They are approachable, judgment-free, solution-focused, and excellent sources of information!
We’ll explore three aspects of EF – cognitive load, cognitive flexibility, and attention residue – in part two. Stay tuned!