title: Executive functioning predicts social skills following prenatal alcohol exposure.
abstract: Adverse sequelae of prenatal alcohol exposure include executive function and social skills impairments, although these two domains have not been empirically linked in alcohol-exposed individuals. This study investigated this relationship using the BRIEF and the SSRS in 98 children aged 6 to 11 years. Executive functions explained a significant percentage of variance in parent and teacher rated social skills. No differences were found among children with diagnoses of FAS, partial FAS, or alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder. It may be helpful to consider executive functioning in designing social skills interventions for alcohol-exposed children whether or not they have full FAS.
authors.affiliation: Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human behavior, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA. amyschonfeld@gmail.com
authors.forename: Amy M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Schonfeld
authors.forename: Blair
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Paley
authors.forename: Fred
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Frankel
authors.forename: Mary J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: O'Connor
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000009:adverse effects; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005178:Faculty; D005260:Female; D063647:Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012919:Social Behavior
chemical_list: D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D000431:Ethanol