In this recent study, researchers examined 90 school-age children (both autistic and non-autistic). They found that executive functioning skills, rather than IQ, were the key factor associated with externalizing behaviors like aggression, defiance, and hyperactivity. Remarkably, age and IQ were not significant predictors in their analyses, suggesting that behavioral challenges stem from difficulties with self-regulation rather than limitations in intellectual capacity or developmental maturity. This finding is particularly important because it means that even children with average or above-average intelligence can struggle with behavioral regulation if their executive functioning is impaired.
Executive functioning refers to a set of mental skills that help us manage our thoughts, emotions, and actions - things like impulse control, emotional regulation, working memory, and the ability to plan and shift between tasks. The study found that difficulties across all three domains of executive functioning (behavioral, emotional, and cognitive regulation) significantly predicted externalizing behaviors, while intellectual ability did not.
What makes this finding especially hopeful is that unlike IQ, executive functioning skills are modifiable through targeted interventions such as cognitive remediation, behavioral therapy, and classroom accommodations. This suggests that by identifying and addressing executive function deficits early, we may be able to meaningfully reduce behavioral difficulties in children across diagnostic categories, offering a more effective and scientifically-grounded approach than traditional symptom-based interventions alone.
Link to full article: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2026.109379