Project
Neurobehavioral Functioning in Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
Principal Investigator(s): Carmen Rasmussen, Ph.D., University of Alberta, phone: (780) 492-5262, email: carmen@ualberta.ca,
Co-investigators: Dr. Kathy Horne, Psychologist, Pediatrics, Psychology Services, Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, phone: (780) 735-7999 ext 2217, email: khorne@cha.ab.ca,
Adrienne D. Witol, Pediatric Oncology, Stollery Children's Hospital, phone: (780) 407-7844, email: awitol@cha.ab.ca
Start/End Date: Sept 2002 to Dec 2004
Location: Department of Psychology, University of Alberta and Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital
Brief Description/Abstract: In this study we examined aspects of neuropsychological functioning of children and adolescents with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) to see whether distinct patterns of performance or weaknesses emerged. Fifty-one children participated who were diagnosed with FASD through the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital FASD Clinic. FASD diagnoses were based on 4-digit rankings of Growth Deficiency, Facial Phenotype, Brain Dysfunction, and Alcohol Use. Standardized tests of intellectual ability and memory were administered, and parent and teacher ratings of executive functioning and attention/hyperactivity were obtained.
As well as comparisons with normative measures, correlations were examined between test performance and various predictor variables (age, gender, ethnicity, and Growth, Face, and Brain scores). We also examined which functions differentiated children ranked as Brain 2 (possible dysfunction) and Brain 3 (probable dysfunction). Mean IQ was within the low average range (80.9) and 42% of the sample showed significantly higher performance than verbal IQ scores.
Because the majority of children showing this split were Aboriginal, this discrepancy appeared to be mediated by ethnic background and may not be specific to FASD. Verbal IQ was negatively correlated with age, suggesting that verbal deficits appear to become more evident with age.
Children with FASD also performed well below average on specific memory tasks. However, the pattern was different for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children: Aboriginal children showed low verbal memory and average visual memory scores, whereas the non-Aboriginal children showed average verbal memory but below average visual memory scores. The FASD sample showed marked difficulty on the parent and teacher behavioral ratings of executive functioning and attention/hyperactivity. Intellectual functioning and some aspects of memory differentiated between children ranked as Brain 2 and Brain 3.
This study was an attempt to better understand neuropsychological profiles of children and adolescents with FASD. We identified interesting patterns of performance but also some differences possibly related to ethnic background. Aboriginal children and non-Aboriginal children with FASD appeared to show different patterns of strengths and weaknesses.
Time Frame: completed
Kind of Research: research
Population Served: children with FASD
Publications (includes presentations):
Rasmussen, C. Horne, K. A., & Witol, A. (2004, June). Neuropsychological profiles of children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Poster presented at the Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA) annual convention, Vancouver, BC.
Rasmussen, C., Witol, A., & Horne, K. A. (2005). Neurobehavioral functioning in children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Child Neuropsychology, 12, 453-468
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