Executive Functions - Scoping Review

This scoping review aimed to comprehend and synthesise the evidence regarding higher education students’ executive function skills. JBI guidelines were followed in conducting a scoping review of the literature. The databases searched included EBSCOHost, Web of Science, and Scopus. The scoping review examined 25 articles published between 2013 and 2023. The study identified factors contributing to or affecting students’ academic achievement due to lower executive function abilities.

Executive function skills in higher education are crucial for optimal academic achievement. Suggestions for improving executive functions are offered. These cognitive abilities enable individuals to intentionally control their actions, enhancing students’ academic achievement. This type of information has significant potential to inform higher education practices to better understand the gaps and impacting factors on higher education students’ academic achievement. The reviewed data alert researchers to possibilities for enhancing executive function skills by employing a holistic approach, resulting in academic achievement.