Executive Functioning: The Missing Piece in Both Autism and ADHD
We often hear that ADHD is an executive functioning disorder. But what if I told you that autistic people also struggle with executive functioning, just in a different way? If you’ve ever wondered why rigid thinking shows up in autism, or why some autistic individuals struggle with planning or switching tasks, this might explain it.
Executive functioning (EF) is the brain’s control panel, the system that helps us:
Get started on tasks
Remember what we’re doing
Adapt when plans change
Manage emotions
Think flexibly
Organise time and belongings
So when this control panel isn’t working properly, whether due to ADHD or autism, everyday life can feel a lot harder.
ADHD: Disorganised Chaos
In ADHD, the EF difficulties often show up as:
Impulsivity – Speaking before thinking or jumping from one idea to the next
Disorganisation – Forgetting appointments, losing things, constantly feeling overwhelmed
Poor time management – Leaving everything until the last minute (then panicking)
Emotional dysregulation – Big reactions, difficulty calming down
Task initiation problems – Knowing what to do but just not being able to start
The ADHD brain can be full of ideas, but the struggle is often with follow-through.
Autism: Rigid Thinking & Cognitive Sticking
In autism, executive functioning difficulties may show up differently:
Rigid thinking – Struggling when routines change or when things don’t go “as expected”
Perseveration – Getting stuck on thoughts, topics, or emotions and unable to “move on”
Difficulty switching tasks – Especially if not warned or if the new task isn’t meaningful
Organisation challenges – May be overlooked due to high academic ability
Sensory shutdowns – EF shuts down altogether when overwhelmed
The autistic brain may crave predictability. When EF is impaired, any disruption can feel like a system crash.
Same Core Difficulty, Different Presentation
Let’s compare:
Situation ADHD Response Autism Response
Executive functioning challenges show up differently in ADHD and autism, even though the core difficulty is often the same.
For example, when a lesson is suddenly moved, a young person with ADHD might forget where to go and end up late, whereas an autistic person may become anxious or distressed because of the unexpected change.
When given a writing task at school, someone with ADHD may struggle to get started and end up doodling or zoning out, while an autistic student might find it hard to organise their thoughts into a clear structure.
If asked to stop one game and start another, a child with ADHD might get frustrated but eventually switch, whereas an autistic child could become upset or refuse because of the abrupt transition.
And in a noisy, busy shop, someone with ADHD might make impulsive purchases and forget their list, while an autistic person could feel overwhelmed by the sensory input and shut down completely. These examples show how the same underlying difficulty with executive functioning can look very different depending on the individual’s neurotype.
Why This Matters
Too often, executive functioning difficulties in autism are misunderstood. They’re put down to being “stubborn,” “lazy,” or “naughty”, when in fact, the brain is struggling to shift gears, manage emotions, or organise behaviour.
And in ADHD, chaos is seen as bad behaviour, not a symptom of a brain that struggles to regulate itself.
Final Thought
Understanding how executive functioning works (or doesn’t work) is key. It helps us:
Stop blaming the child (or adult!)
Support the skills that are weak
Build strategies that truly help
Offer compassion, not criticism
Whether it’s the inattention and impulsivity of ADHD or the rigidity and overwhelm in autism, the root issue often comes back to the brain’s control panel.
So next time someone is “melting down,” “shutting down,” or “flipping out,” ask yourself: Is their executive functioning under pressure right now?
