Executive functioning assessments (EF assessments) are evaluations designed to measure an individual’s cognitive abilities on higher-level cognitive skills that help people plan, organize, manage time, pay attention, regulate emotions, and achieve goals. Thus, executive function performance tests can be crucial in identifying strengths and weaknesses in these areas and guiding appropriate interventions or support strategies. Each executive function test measures a specific aspect of function. The result is a comprehensive report that helps you enhance your strengths and overcome barriers.
We provide assessments to people of all ages and can often do assessments virtually. Please feel free to contact us anytime to discuss how executive function performance tests could help you or your child. First, here is an overview.
Reasons for Executive Functioning Assessments
We conduct executive functioning assessments for several important reasons:
- Identifying Challenges: Executive functioning testing helps identify difficulties in specific skills such as planning, organization, working memory, cognitive flexibility, and impulse control. These assessments pinpoint areas of weakness that might affect your daily functioning. Thus, they can be helpful if you want to improve your performance at work, in school, or even with daily tasks at home.
- Diagnostic Purposes: Executive functioning assessments can aid in diagnosing conditions that often involve deficits, such as ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) and autism spectrum disorders. Accurate diagnosis is often the first step toward accommodations and interventions.
- Educational Planning: These batteries can inform educational plans by providing insights into how students learn, process information, and tackle tasks. This helps tailor teaching strategies and educational accommodations to support students’ needs.
- Therapeutic Intervention: Therapists often refer people to us for these assessments to assist them in designing targeted interventions and different types of therapy to improve EF skills. The assessment results can then serve as a baseline to track progress over time.
- Workplace Accommodations: In a professional setting, these assessments can highlight areas where an individual might struggle at work. This information can be used to implement accommodations or strategies to enhance performance.
Executive Functioning Testing Methods
Some common executive functioning assessments we use include:
- Behavioral Rating Scales: These are questionnaires or checklists completed by the individual, their partners, parents, teachers, or caregivers. They assess EF-related behaviors in daily life, including attention, organization, impulse control, and problem-solving. The reason we sometimes ask to include others
- Performance-Based Measures: These assessments involve tasks that directly measure various aspects, such as working memory, cognitive flexibility, planning, and inhibitory control. Examples include the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Tower of London, and Stroop Test.
- Neuropsychological Tests: These are comprehensive assessments that specifically evaluate multiple cognitive functions, including memory, attention, and problem-solving.
- Computerized Assessments: Some executive functioning performance tests, especially those we conduct virtually, utilize computer-based tasks to measure specific aspects, providing scientifically standardized and objective measurements of cognitive abilities.
- Observational: These involve direct observation of an individual in various settings to assess their skills in real-life -situations, such as school, work, or home environments. In most cases with adults, we ask you to self-observe and report on specific aspects of your behavior and decision-making. We can also provide someone who will be there with you with a checklist and other information to observe you.
These executive functioning assessments are valuable in diagnosing conditions like Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, autism spectrum disorder, traumatic brain injury, or other neurological conditions that might impact you. They can help you and your providers, such as therapists and educators, understand your strengths and weaknesses, enabling them to create tailored interventions, accommodations, or strategies to support you in managing daily tasks and achieving your goals. They can also be used in the workplace to design accommodations and job descriptions that best fit your skills and strengths.
Executive Function Test Examples
Our executive function performance tests vary depending on your needs and your questions. The most common ones in any practice, including ours, are:
Wisconsin Card Sorting
This executive function test assesses cognitive flexibility, abstract reasoning, and the ability to shift cognitive strategies in response to changing rules. The WCST is a cornerstone measure and is usually the first one we give to adults.
Stroop Executive Function Test
This Stroop test is one of the best executive function performance tests for measuring selective attention, cognitive flexibility, and processing speed. You are asked to name the ink color of words that spell out color names that are incongruent with the ink color (e.g., the word “green” written in red ink). Your ability to ignore the distractions created by the incorrect colors is informative.
Tower of London Executive Function Test
This measure evaluates planning, problem-solving, and spatial reasoning abilities. You are asked to move a series of disks from an initial configuration to a goal configuration while following specific rules about how the disks can be moved. The TOL gives robust data for all executive function performance tests.
Trail Making Test
This core executive function testing measure assesses visual attention, cognitive flexibility, and task-switching abilities. You are asked to connect a series of numbered dots in ascending order (Part A) or alternating between numbers and letters in ascending order (Part B).
Behavior Rating Inventory of EF (BRIEF)
Unlike the other executive function tests mentioned, the BRIEF is a questionnaire completed by caregivers, teachers, or you to assess everyday behaviors, including inhibitory control, emotional control, shifting, working memory, planning/organization, and monitoring.
Delis-Kaplan (D-KEFS)
This is a comprehensive set of executive function performance tests designed to assess various aspects, including flexibility of thinking, inhibition, problem-solving, and planning.
NEPSY-II Executive Functioning Performance Tests
This neuropsychological assessment battery includes executive functioning performance tests and measures of other cognitive domains. It assesses inhibition, attention, and other skills through tasks such as the Statue and Animal Sorting measures.
These are often used in clinical neuropsychology, educational psychology, and research settings to evaluate deficits associated with various conditions such as ADHD, traumatic brain injury, dementia, and developmental disorders. It’s important to interpret the results of these measures in the context of an individual’s overall cognitive functioning and clinical presentation.
Executive Functioning Assessments Process
Our assessments involve several steps to evaluate an individual’s cognitive abilities comprehensively. Here’s an overview of the typical steps involved:
Referral and Initial Information Gathering
The executive functioning testing process often begins with a referral from you, your doctor, or your therapist, or for children, an educator or parent expressing concerns about your or your child’s executive functioning skills. Information gathering includes obtaining background information about your or your child’s developmental history, academic performance, behavioral concerns, and any relevant medical or psychological history.
A preliminary screening is then conducted using behavioral checklists, questionnaires, or brief assessments to identify potential issues. This step helps determine if a comprehensive evaluation is warranted. Sometimes, an assessment is not warranted; instead, an evaluation revolving around anxiety or another factor is a better choice.
Comprehensive Executive Functioning Assessments
If the initial screening suggests difficulties, comprehensive executive function performance tests are given. This typically involves formal assessments, such as neuropsychological tests, performance-based measures, and interviews with the individual, parents, teachers, or caregivers. The assessments focus on specific areas, including attention, working memory, cognitive flexibility, inhibition, planning, and problem-solving.
This step of executive functioning testing includes administering standardized measures and tasks that directly measure cognitive skills. These can be paper-and-pencil, computerized tasks, or interactive activities designed to evaluate various aspects of cognitive abilities.
Executive Functioning Assessments of Behavior
Observations of individuals in different environments (school, home, or work) provide valuable information about how they apply skills in real-life situations. Behavioral analysis involves looking at behavior patterns, attention, organization, task completion, and emotional regulation. We have you self-observe or ask people in your life to provide feedback.
Executive Functioning Assessments Data Analysis
After collecting executive functioning testing data, we analyze and integrate the information to comprehensively understand your or your child’s strengths and weaknesses.
Based on the assessment findings, we formulate a specific diagnosis (if there is one) and provide detailed recommendations. These recommendations may include interventions, accommodations, strategies, or therapies to support skills in academic, social, or daily life settings.
Feedback and the Executive Functioning Testing Report
The results of each executive function test and recommendations are discussed with you and, if you want, your family or others in your life. A detailed psychological testing report summarizing the assessment findings, diagnosis (if made), and recommendations are provided.
This assessment process is tailored to your unique individual needs. It is designed to understand your abilities and comprehensively design appropriate support strategies. We always include suggestions for accommodations and interventions to help you reach your potential at work and school.
EF Testing Case Example
Samantha, a 27-year-old graduate student pursuing a PhD in Clinical Psychology, was referred to us for executive functioning testing due to persistent difficulties with organization, time management, and task initiation. She reported struggling with meeting deadlines, maintaining focus during long study sessions, and managing multiple research and coursework demands. She had a history of academic success but noted increasing difficulty as responsibilities intensified.
Executive Functioning Testing Referral Question:
Samantha sought testing to determine what could explain her challenges and to explore potential accommodations for her graduate program.
Executive Function Performance Tests Used:
- Clinical Interview & Developmental History – Explored past academic and personal functioning.
- Behavior Rating Inventory – Adult Version (BRIEF-A) – Self-report executive function test.
- Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-IV) – Assessed cognitive abilities, including working memory and processing speed.
- Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS) – Evaluated problem-solving, cognitive flexibility, and inhibition.
- Woodcock-Johnson (WJ-IV) – Writing Fluency & Processing Speed Subtests – Examined academic efficiency.
- Continuous Performance (CPT-3) – Assessed sustained attention and impulsivity.
Findings:
- Cognitive Abilities (WAIS-IV): Samantha’s intellectual functioning was in the high average range, with strong verbal reasoning but weaknesses in working memory and processing speed.
- Executive Function Performance Tests (D-KEFS & BRIEF-A): Testing revealed deficits in cognitive flexibility, sustained attention, and initiation, with elevated concerns in organization and planning.
- Attention & Impulsivity (CPT-3): Showed borderline difficulties with sustained attention, supporting concerns about task persistence.
- Academic Efficiency (WJ-IV): Writing fluency and processing speed were below expected levels, indicating difficulty completing timed tasks efficiently.
Diagnosis & Interpretation:
The executive function test results suggested mild dysfunction, likely related to underlying ADHD (Inattentive Type), though anxiety may have exacerbated her difficulties. Samantha exhibited challenges in planning, organization, and sustained attention, significantly impacting her academic performance.
Recommendations & Accommodations:
- Extended Time on Exams & Assignments – To compensate for slower processing speed and other barriers.
- Structured Organizational Supports – Use of planners, digital reminders, and project management software.
- Reduced Course Load (if feasible) – To better manage cognitive demands.
- Coaching or Therapy for Executive Functioning Skills – Focus on time management, study strategies, and coping techniques.
- Assistive Technology – Speech-to-text software and distraction-reducing apps.
With accommodations in place, Samantha was able better to manage her workload, complete assignments on time, and reduce stress. She also started ADHD medication, which improved her ability to sustain focus and initiate tasks effectively.
Conclusions and Our Services
Executive functioning testing is a common service we provide to people of all ages for the above reasons. We provide them as a standalone and as part of more comprehensive batteries. For example, when we assess Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder specifically, we often do more general testing since ADHD is just one possibility. When we test for autism, we often do executive function performance tests since many people who have a diagnosis of autism also have other challenges.
Executive Functioning Assessments in our practice
We would be happy to answer any questions you have about executive functioning assessments or how our services might answer your questions or get you the support you need. Feel free to contact us or schedule a consultation anytime to discuss executive functioning testing or any psychological testing services.
