Tracey W Tsang1, Heather Carmichael Olson, Jane Latimer, James Fitzpatrick, Marmingee Hand, June Oscar, Maureen Carter, Elizabeth J Elliott. 1. *The University of Sydney, Discipline of Child and Adolescent, Sydney Medical School, New South Wales, Australia; †Musculoskeletal Division, The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; ‡Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Seattle Children's Research Institute, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA; §Alcohol and Pregnancy & FASD, Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; ‖Fitzroy Valley District High School, Fitzroy Crossing, Western Australia, Australia; ¶Marninwarntikura Women's Resource Centre, Fitzroy Crossing, Western Australia, Australia; **Nindilingarri Cultural Health Services, Fitzroy Crossing, Western Australia, Australia; ††The Sydney Children's Hospital Networks (Westmead), Westmead, New South Wales, Australia; ‡‡The Australian Paediatric Surveillance Unit, Kids' Research Institute, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To document behavior in children residing in very remote Western Australian communities as rated by parent/caregivers and teachers. We hypothesized that children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) would have higher rates of problematic behavior than children without FASD. METHODS: The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL; n = 97), and Teacher Report Form (TRF; n = 106) were used in this population-based study. Raw scores, proportions scoring within "Normal/Borderline/Clinical" ranges, and frequencies of Critical items were determined. Mann-Whitney U and χ tests were used for between-group comparisons. RESULTS: Children were aged from 7.5 to 9.6 years, and 19% had FASD. Academic performance was commonly rated in the "Borderline/Clinical" range (73%). Teacher-rated scores were poorer in the FASD group on 15 scales encompassing total and internalizing problems, adaptive function, academic performance, attention, withdrawn/depressed, social problems, posttraumatic stress, thought problems, and sluggish cognitive tempo (p < .05). More children in the FASD group had scores in the "Borderline/Clinical" range on 11 TRF scales (p < .05). "Physically attacks people" was the most prevalent Critical item endorsed by teachers for the total cohort (22%). "Talks about killing self" was endorsed by teachers more often in the FASD group (14%) than the Non-FASD group (1%; p = .03). There were no significant differences between groups in parent-reported CBCL scores after adjustment for multiple comparison testing. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that children with FASD have more teacher-reported behavioral impairment than children without FASD. In remote Australian communities, academic performance is poor.
OBJECTIVE: To document behavior in children residing in very remote Western Australian communities as rated by parent/caregivers and teachers. We hypothesized that children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) would have higher rates of problematic behavior than children without FASD. METHODS: The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL; n = 97), and Teacher Report Form (TRF; n = 106) were used in this population-based study. Raw scores, proportions scoring within "Normal/Borderline/Clinical" ranges, and frequencies of Critical items were determined. Mann-Whitney U and χ tests were used for between-group comparisons. RESULTS:Children were aged from 7.5 to 9.6 years, and 19% had FASD. Academic performance was commonly rated in the "Borderline/Clinical" range (73%). Teacher-rated scores were poorer in the FASD group on 15 scales encompassing total and internalizing problems, adaptive function, academic performance, attention, withdrawn/depressed, social problems, posttraumatic stress, thought problems, and sluggish cognitive tempo (p < .05). More children in the FASD group had scores in the "Borderline/Clinical" range on 11 TRF scales (p < .05). "Physically attacks people" was the most prevalent Critical item endorsed by teachers for the total cohort (22%). "Talks about killing self" was endorsed by teachers more often in the FASD group (14%) than the Non-FASD group (1%; p = .03). There were no significant differences between groups in parent-reported CBCL scores after adjustment for multiple comparison testing. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that children with FASD have more teacher-reported behavioral impairment than children without FASD. In remote Australian communities, academic performance is poor.
Authors: Ellaina Andersson; Cari McIlduff; Karen Turner; Sue Thomas; Jadnah Davies; Elizabeth J Elliott; Stewart Einfeld Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2019-10-09 Impact factor: 2.692
Authors: Lauren J Rice; Tracey W Tsang; Emily Carter; Marmingee Hand; Jadnah Davies; Sue Thomas; Eric Bedford; Emma Bear; Cheyenne Carter; Lisa Cannon; Elizabeth J Elliott Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2022-04-01 Impact factor: 2.692
Authors: Robyn Doney; Barbara R Lucas; Rochelle E Watkins; Tracey W Tsang; Kay Sauer; Peter Howat; Jane Latimer; James P Fitzpatrick; June Oscar; Maureen Carter; Elizabeth J Elliott Journal: BMC Pediatr Date: 2017-11-21 Impact factor: 2.125
Authors: Philippa J Dossetor; Kathryn Thorburn; June Oscar; Maureen Carter; James Fitzpatrick; Carol Bower; John Boulton; Emily Fitzpatrick; Jane Latimer; Elizabeth J Elliott; Alexandra Lc Martiniuk Journal: BMC Health Serv Res Date: 2019-10-26 Impact factor: 2.655