Childhood placement in out-of-home care in relation to psychosocial outcomes in adults with fetal alcohol syndrome (original) (raw)
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Psychosocial Outcomes of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome in Adulthood
Pediatrics
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Primary disabilities in children prenatally exposed to alcohol have a major impact on their daily life. It is suggested that these issues persist into adulthood, but few studies have addressed the outcome in adults with prenatal exposure, especially those with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). The aim of this follow-up study was to investigate outcome variables, such as education, employment, health, and criminal acts, in 79 adults diagnosed with FAS.
Parenting with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
2010
This paper focuses on issues associated with parenting and living with FASD. It is based on a larger research and video production project that examined the challenges, accomplishments and support needs of adults with FASD in relation to parenting, employment and the legal system. Using theoretical sampling techniques, in-depth, faceto-face interviews were conducted with a total of 59 people from 5 diverse communities in British Columbia; of these, 15 were adults with (suspected) FASD. Findings presented in this article relate to parents' hopes, goals and accomplishments, parenting challenges, experiences with the child welfare system, and perceived barriers to support, including policy-related barriers. Findings also revealed prevailing ignorance about the nature of FASD and the day-to-day support needs of those living with FASD, which potentially have profound implications from both a health and a social justice perspective. For example, parents experienced reluctance to seek assistance for their secondary disabilities related to FASD (e.g., substance use or mental health problems), for fear of that their needs for support would be viewed as evidence of their parenting incapability. Highlighted will be directions for positive policy and practice-related change in working with parents with FASD.
Parents with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders in the child protection systems: Issues for parenting
2016
Parents who have or are thought to have Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) are often involved in the child protection systems, although there is little data to establish actual frequency. First Nations parents are over represented. There is often a presumptive bias that individuals with disabilities, including FASD, are not capable of raising their children. Such a bias is unwarranted. Assessing FASD parents requires a view of functional capacity along with consideration of how the parent could accomplish the role and if needed, with what supports. Both a context and process for Parenting Capacity Assessments (PCAs) in these cases is recommended. There is a need for the assessments to exist within a cultural context, including the use of the Medicine Wheel. The individualistic perspective of most Canadian child welfare systems may not match the collectivistic approach to parenting in an Aboriginal family system although it is from the former position that most PCAs are conducted.
SECONDARY DISABILITIES AMONG ADULTS WITH FETAL ALCOHOL SPECTRUM DISORDER IN BRITISH COLUMBIA
Adults with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) face serious challenges because of physical, cognitive and behavioural deficits. The interaction of behavioural and mental health problems with adverse environments leads to further problems, such as trouble with the law, called "secondary disabilities". Although FASD affects about 1% of the population in the United States, very little research has been done to describe adults with FASD in Canada and what factors may affect the rate of secondary disabilities.
The International Journal of Alcohol and Drug Research, 2013
Walls, L., & Pei, J. (2013). Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder service delivery: Exploring current systems of care from the caregivers’ perspective. The International Journal Of Alcohol And Drug Research, 2(3), 87-92. doi:10.7895/ijadr.v2i3.75 (http://dx.doi.org/10.7895/ijadr.v2i3.75)Aims: The goals of this study were to: (1) gain improved understanding of the needs of caregivers caring for individuals with FASD; (2) gain improved understanding of the experiences of these caregivers as they attempt to access and implement supports in daily functioning; and (3) gain improved understanding of caregivers’ perceptions of strengths and challenges in systems of care for individuals with FASD.Design: Information for this study was gathered using a phenomenological in-depth interviewing method, allowing the researchers to explore existing services, policies, and local knowledge from the perspective of the caregivers who were accessing services. Participants: A total of eight participants (N =...
Quality of life and psychosocial profile among young women with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders
Mental Health Aspects of …, 2005
alcohol syndrome (FAS) and alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorders (ARND) are permanent birth defects caused by maternal alcohol use during pregnancy; FAS is a leading preventable cause of intellectual disability. Depending on dose, timing, 1 frequency, and genetic susceptibility, prenatal alcohol exposure can result in a range of neurodevelopmental disorders including FAS and ARND that have been termed fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). 21,27 The neuropsychological deficits associated with prenatal alcohol exposure affect multiple areas of functioning. Even if an affected 17 individual has intellectual abilities in the normal range, other problems in adaptive behavior, attention, memory, abstract thinking, and executive functioning (i.e., cognitive abilities that include sequencing of information and behavior, cognitive flexibility, response inhibition, planning, and organizing behavior) may seriously impede his or her ability to work, to live independently, and to maintain social relationships. 26 Clinical reports indicate that a poor quality of life is a grim reality for most adults with FASD because their broad spectrum neurobehavioral deficits continue to impair functioning across the lifespan, and because access to services that might ameliorate their circumstances is either inconsistent or uncoordinated. An individual's self-report of quality of life is important in order for clinicians to understand the impact of a medical or psychiatric condition. However, 16,22,24,32 Prenatal alcohol exposure can result in a range of neurodevelopmental disorders termed fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Clinical reports indicate a poor quality of life (QOL) among individuals with FASD; however, QOL has not been formally assessed and reported in this population. We describe psychosocial and QOL assessment scores among 11 women with FASD. These women had poor QOL scores and high levels of mental health disorders and behavioral problems relative to standardization samples and other at-risk populations. We suggest that psychiatric distress may play a substantial role in the reduced quality of life reported among adults with FASD.
The International Journal of Alcohol and Drug Research, 2013
Duquette, C., & Orders, S. (2013). On fitting a triangle into a circle: A study on employment outcomes of adults with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder who attended postsecondary institutions. The International Journal Of Alcohol And Drug Research, 2(3), 27-36. doi:10.7895/ijadr.v2i3.105 (http://dx.doi.org/10.7895/ijadr.v2i3.105)Aim: This study examined the employment outcomes of individuals with FASD who had undertaken postsecondary studies.Design: A qualitative research design using inductive thematic analysis and descriptive statistics was employed.Setting: The study took place in the United States and Canada.Participants: Ten adoptive mothers, one birth mother, one step-mother and one mother-in-law (N=13), representing 17 adult children, responded to the survey. Four adults with FASD who had undertaken postsecondary studies each participated in an individual interview.Measures: An electronic survey consisting mostly of open-ended items was used to obtain data on the postsecondary ...
Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 2016
Background There is limited research investigating the lived experiences of parents raising children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). The aim of this paper is to use qualitative analysis to identify how parents have adapted to the experience of raising their child with FASD. Method Eighty-four parents and caregivers of children with FASD in Ontario, Canada, participated in in-depth, semistructured interviews employing a basic interpretive approach. Results Parents of children with FASD report a number of strategies, supports, and transformational outcomes. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis, 5 themes were identified: understanding FASD and advocating on their child's behalf, day-today adaptation, transformational outcomes, as well as the importance of informal and formal supports. Conclusions Understanding what families do in order to facilitate adaptation is important when assisting families who may not be adapting as successfully. Continued research looking at the family experience of raising a child with a developmental disability, such as FASD, is necessary.
Canadian Graduate Journal of Sociology and Criminology, 2023
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) refers to the lifelong neurodevelopmental impacts resulting from prenatal alcohol exposure. Recent prevalence indicates it is a leading cause of developmental disability in Canada. Researchers have illustrated that the criminal justice system (CJS) is a common landing point for individuals with FASD, and entry commonly occurs during adolescence. Scholars have contributed to early intervention implementation or identifying FASD markers in adolescence to deter criminal behaviour; however, resources and information for individuals with current or historical CJS involvement require further attention. In this paper, we analyze newer research on the links between FASD and the CJS, discuss considerations from developmental perspectives and analyze salient issues involving youth with FASD. Three Canadian legal decisions involving justice-involved youth with FASD are drawn upon to mobilize three areas requiring further theorization and action regarding CJS responses to FASD. Using developmental perspectives, we centre the impacts of CJS on justice-involved youth with FASD and discuss possible resulting implications. We aim to highlight areas for further consideration when working with justice-involved youth with FASD, namely, gaps in early assessment and implementation of supports, needs to increase parent and caregiver capacity to maintain residential stability, and efforts to support desistance from crime in the context of an FASD diagnosis.