Executive function training for children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Executive functions (EFs) refer to a family of higher order, interrelated cognitive processes that enable a wide range of activities such as goal directed behavior, reasoning, planning, problem-solving, learning, and creative thinking (i.e., cool EFs). They are also related integrally to emotional control, impulsiveness, and interpersonal interactions (hot EFs). Working memory (WM) is the most widely studied EF to date, and deficits in WM represent a core phenotypic characteristic in a majority of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and are related integrally to all three ADHD core clinical symptoms, as well as to foundational learning and intellectual functioning. This chapter reviews findings related to WM deficits in children with ADHD, and offers a summary of recent efforts to ameliorate and/or compensate for these deficits through executive function training. Nascent, potentially promising interventions, including neurofeedback, noninvasive brain stimulation, and organization/memory strategies whose focus is to strengthen EF-dependent academic skills, are also discussed.