Risk factors for adverse life outcomes in fetal alcohol syndrome and fetal alcohol effects.
Clinical descriptions of patients with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) and Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE) suggest major problems with adaptive behavior. Five operationally defined adverse outcomes and 18 associated risk/protective factors were examined using a Life History Interview with knowledgeable informants of 415 patients with FAS or FAE (median age 14 years, range 6-51; median IQ 86, range 29-126). Eighty percent of these patients were not raised by their biological mothers. For adolescents and adults, the life span prevalence was 61% for Disrupted School Experiences, 60% for Trouble with the Law, 50% for Confinement (in detention, jail, prison, or a psychiatric or alcohol/drug inpatient setting), 49% for Inappropriate Sexual Behaviors on repeated occasions, and 35% for Alcohol/Drug Problems. The odds of escaping these adverse life outcomes are increased 2- to 4-fold by receiving the diagnosis of FAS or FAE at an earlier age and by being reared in good stable environments.
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Fetal Alcohol & Drug Unit, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA. astreiss@u.washington.edu
Ann P
AP
Streissguth
Fred L
FL
Bookstein
Helen M
HM
Barr
Paul D
PD
Sampson
Kieran
K
O'Malley
Julia Kogan
JK
Young
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D063647:Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008019:Life Style; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011247:Pregnancy; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D012574:Schools / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications