No abstract

Birth, foster and adoptive parents raising a child with foetal alcohol spectrum disorder know their children best and are well positioned to inform professionals how to help alcohol‐affected children. Telephone interviews with 32 parents were conducted to explore strengths of caregivers raising a child with foetal alcohol spectrum disorder, and responses analyzed using concept mapping methodology. Four themes emerged from 74 unique responses: ‘change parenting strategy for different children’, ‘use non‐verbal, sensory and physical strategies’, ‘stay patient and understanding’ and ‘locate and maintain external supports’. Results were compared and contrasted with the existing literature. Although many responses were consistent with the literature, strengths previously unreported by caregivers in the literature included cultural practices, communication, generalizability of skills, soothing music and use of a service dog.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) often face employment-related challenges due to cognitive, physical, and behavioural difficulties, however there are adults with FASD who have positive employment experiences. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to learn about employment experiences of adults with FASD. We focused on the conditions that led to employment success, and the impacts that employment had on adults with FASD. METHODS: A survey was developed, which consisted of open-ended and closed-ended questions. We recruited adults with FASD, caregivers of adults with FASD, and support workers for adults with FASD, and twenty-nine surveys were completed. Descriptive analyses and thematic analyses were conducted. RESULTS: We found that conditions that led to employment success in individuals with FASD were finding the right job fit, using relational supports, identifying as having FASD, and responding to challenges. Impacts that employed individuals with FASD experienced included increasing autonomy through remuneration, building self-esteem, developing social connections, and becoming an advocate for FASD. CONCLUSION: The present study is the first of its kind to explore employment in adults with FASD. By learning from the experiences of those individuals with FASD who have been successfully employed, we can better serve those who are struggling with employment.

Metacognitive training is an emerging cognitive intervention for children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) that teaches children to think about their thinking and use strategies to improve learning and regulation. We investigated how children with FASD acquired metacognitive strategies during a computerized intervention delivered in a school setting. The number, type, and process of strategy acquisition were recorded for seven children with FASD during the intervention. As an indication of strategy learning, we recorded prompted and spontaneous strategy use over time. Children with FASD were found to use a total of 26 different metacognitive strategies, with eight strategies used spontaneously by all participants. Participants demonstrated a significant decrease in the number of different prompted strategies and a significant increase in the number of spontaneous strategies used over the course of the intervention. Implications for the use of a metacognitive approach for students with FASD are discussed, emphasizing the value of a strength-based approach.