Grant: Doctoral Award - Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarships

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is an umbrella term used to describe a range of physical and mental disabilities that may result from prenatal alcohol exposure. FASD is a leading cause of developmental disability in North America, yet few researchers have investigated predictors of long-term outcomes. Findings from the first follow-up study of Canadian adolescents with FASD have revealed adverse long-term outcomes including problems with the law, school and mental health. However, a group of adolescents have displayed resilience, achieving near average functioning. The individual and environmental factors that differentiate these two groups are not clearly understood. The study's objective is to identify the long-term outcomes and related risk and protective factors in Canadian adolescents with FASD. Adolescents, who were previously diagnosed with FASD at the Motherisk Clinic at The Hospital for Sick Children, will be contacted for follow-up 2 to 7 years post-diagnosis. Long-term outcomes will be examined using standardized questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, aimed at caregivers and adolescents. Adverse long-term outcomes will be defined as deficits in specific domains of functioning, as well as documented trouble with the law, substance abuse, school drop-out and mental health disorders. Standardized psychological test results and life history data, gathered during the initial diagnostic assessment, will be used to examine potential risk and protective factors for long-term outcomes. We will investigate individual factors such as level of childhood functioning across various domains (e.g., IQ, behaviour), and environmental factors such as early intervention, history of abuse and stability of home placements. FASD is a major public health concern. Identifying risk and protective factors that can serve as evidence-based targets for mental health interventions is particularly critical considering the current lack of available FASD-specific services.