The Regulation Link: How ADHD Impulsivity Impacts Communication and Executive Function
This month, as we celebrate ADHD Awareness Month, I want to pause and remind you: ADHD is not the same as executive function. Every brain has executive functions, but for many individuals with ADHD, those functions can be areas of real struggle. Keeping that distinction clear helps us support students more effectively — and with greater compassion.
A Story That Stuck With Me
One of my students had a project where she could design a trifold poster about her mom’s family’s country of origin. She was thrilled about the idea — bubbling over with excitement. We had talked about working together to create a plan for her project, step by step.
But when I showed up to our session, the project was already finished. She hadn’t been able to wait.
Her excitement had carried her straight into the work before she could pause to plan. Unfortunately, the result was messy: words were misspelled, the rubric hadn’t been followed, and the layout didn’t meet the teacher’s requirements. When I arrived, the room was full of frustration — her mom was upset, she was in tears, and I was walking into chaos.
When Excitement Becomes Dysregulation
We often think about dysregulation in terms of anger, frustration, or sadness. But there’s another side we don’t talk about enough: excitement can also lead to dysregulation.
In this case, her joy and eagerness overwhelmed her ability to slow down. The executive function skill of response inhibition — the ability to hit pause before acting — simply wasn’t available to her in that moment. Instead of following through with our plan to organize her ideas and check the rubric, she dove right in, driven by emotion.
The outcome? A finished project that didn’t meet expectations, followed by disappointment and self-blame.
The Executive Function Connection
This story illustrates how ADHD impulsivity and emotional regulation go hand-in-hand:
Response inhibition is what allows a student to stop, think, and check before acting.
Emotional regulation helps manage the strong feelings — whether frustration or excitement — that can otherwise drive behavior without thought.
When both skills are shaky, emotions can take the lead, and the student is left with results that don’t match their ability or effort.
Turning the Chaos Into a Learning Moment
Instead of focusing on what went wrong, we reframed the situation into a learning opportunity. Together, we practiced:
The Pause Button. We talked about how excitement can feel like a green light, but projects often require a yellow light — a pause. We practiced saying, “Wait, what’s the first step?” before starting any big task.
Planning First. We created a simple structure: brainstorm → check rubric → outline → create. Having these steps written down gave her something to anchor to when emotions ran high.
Double-Checking. We built in a routine to stop and compare the work against the rubric before calling it “done.” This normalized checking for accuracy instead of treating it as punishment.
Reflection. We looked at how her excitement got in the way, but also celebrated that same excitement as a strength. Her motivation and enthusiasm were powerful — she just needed tools to channel them.
Takeaways for Coaches and Educators
Dysregulation doesn’t only happen with “negative” emotions — excitement can derail a student just as easily.
Teach students the value of slowing down in moments of enthusiasm, not just in moments of anger.
Build routines where pausing, planning, and checking are automatic parts of the process.
Reframe mistakes as opportunities to strengthen executive function skills, not as evidence of failure.
Final Thoughts
ADHD impulsivity isn’t just about blurting out answers or struggling to wait in line. Sometimes, it’s about the joy of a project, the thrill of an idea, or the energy of anticipation running ahead of executive functions.
When we help students recognize excitement as a potential trigger for dysregulation, we give them a powerful tool: the ability to pause, plan, and direct their enthusiasm toward success.
👉 Call to action: As a coach or educator, ask yourself — do your students know how to pause when they’re excited? Teaching this skill may be the missing link in helping them turn energy into excellence.
