Mental illness in adults with fetal alcohol syndrome or fetal alcohol effects.
OBJECTIVE
The authors' goal was to use structured clinical interviews to characterize the type and frequency of mental illness in adults with fetal alcohol syndrome or fetal alcohol effects.


METHODS
Twenty-five subjects who met criteria for fetal alcohol syndrome or fetal alcohol effects, who were older than 18 years old, and who had an IQ of greater than 70 were interviewed with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R Personality Disorders.


RESULTS
Eighteen of the 25 subjects had received psychiatric treatment. The most common axis I disorders were alcohol or drug dependence (15 subjects), depression (11 subjects), and psychotic disorders (10 subjects). The most common axis II disorders were avoidant (six subjects), antisocial (four subjects), and dependent (three subjects) personality disorders.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that adults with fetal alcohol syndrome or fetal alcohol effects suffer from substantial mental illness.
Famy
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Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle 98195, USA.
Streissguth
A P
AP
Unis
A S
AS
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D063647:Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders / Q000145:classification* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology
D000431:Ethanol