Understand Executive Function

Find Professional Development

Measure Executive Function

Discover the MEFS App™

Improve Executive Function

Learn Intervention Strategies
Reflection Sciences Executive Function Tree

Why is measuring Executive Function important?

The MEFS App™ assesses the neurocognitive skills most vital to academic and life success. These skills are centered on attention, impulse control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility. It is important to test and track the Executive Function skills performance of all children – even high academic performers – to ensure appropriate progress is being made.

Children with well-developed Executive Function skills are more likely to manage their emotions, demonstrate empathy, and achieve academic success in school regardless of their IQ or family background.

Research shows that the healthy development of Executive Function can be cultivated and improved through a variety of means, like play, autonomy-support, and language input.

Why Reflection Sciences

The MEFS App™, our patented executive function assessment, is based on state-of-the-art research that provides accurate and actionable information for all learners.

Anyone with limited training can administer the MEFS App
The MEFS App can be given to students before they even begin in your classroom
The MEFS App does not require weeks of observation
The MEFS App provides new and important data to help teachers better meet the needs of their students

See the MEFS App in Action

See the MEFS App in Action

In this video, Reflection Sciences Founders, Dr. Stephanie M. Carlson, Ph.D. and Dr. Phil Zelazo, Ph.D., share their insight on the development and real-life application of the MEFS App, which tests the performance of Executive Function skills.

Our Story

University of Minnesota Researchers, Phil Zelazo, Ph.D. and Stephanie Carlson, Ph.D., first developed the Minnesota Executive Function Scale (MEFS App) when they were studying executive function and its impact on early childhood education. At that time, the industry lacked an effective way to scientifically and objectively measure executive function in young children. The MEFS App – an executive function test of the neurocognitive skills that are most vital to academic and life success – soon became the best measure of executive function performance available today. Dr. Carlson and Dr. Zelazo created Reflection Sciences in 2014 to bring the MEFS App to the broader educational community. It is now being used across the nation and internationally to accurately test and track executive function performance in preschools, K-12 schools, after-school programs, Head Start programs, and pediatric clinics.

Our Misson

Our aim is to reduce gaps in achievement and opportunity by advancing the science and practice of Executive Function to accelerate learning. Research indicates our work is impactful, and we want everyone to benefit directly from our studies, contribute their own data, and play an active role in the process.

Our Services

At Reflection Sciences, we strive to provide a range of services aimed at supporting healthy executive function development in childhood and beyond. For more information on our patented executive function assessment: the MEFS App, professional development offerings, data interpretation services, and intervention strategies, click here to download our services overview!

Understand, Measure, & Improve the true predictor of academic and life success.

Learn more about Executive Function