Executive Functioning in Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Profiles and Age-Related Differences

Objective: Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are associated with a range of neurocognitive impairments. Executive functioning deficits are a hallmark feature of both disorders. Method: The present meta-analysis was undertaken to disentangle the behavioral phenotype of FASD and ADHD by quantitatively differentiating executive functioning differences between these two groups. The current meta-analysis reviews 15 studies comparing children and adolescents with FASD and ADHD to typically developing (TD) samples, on a variety of executive function measures. Results: Results indicate that when compared with TD samples, FASD and ADHD samples demonstrate significant executive function deficits ( d = 0.82 and d = 0.55, respectively). In addition, FASD samples experience significantly greater deficits when compared with ADHD samples ( d = 0.25). Results were moderated by IQ and socioeconomic status. Conclusion: These findings further our understanding of the cognitive differences between FASD and ADHD samples and have the potential to influence future basic research, assessment, and intervention.

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Affective Decision-Making on the Iowa Gambling Task in Children and Adolescents with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society ◽

10.1017/s1355617712001026 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 19 (2) ◽

pp. 137-144 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Katrina Kully-Martens ◽

Sarah Treit ◽

Jacqueline Pei ◽

Carmen Rasmussen

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Risk Taking ◽

Iowa Gambling Task ◽

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders ◽

Control Group ◽

Gambling Task ◽

Fetal Alcohol ◽

Age Related ◽

Spectrum Disorders ◽

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum

AbstractIndividuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) have difficulties with cognitive-based executive function (EF) tasks. The goal of the present study was to determine if children with FASD have impairments on the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), which measures affective EF (i.e., decision-making and risk-taking). Individuals with FASD (n = 31) and healthy controls (n = 31), aged 8–17 completed the IGT. Children with FASD were significantly impaired on the IGT compared to controls. Over the course of the task, control scores improved, whereas children with FASD exhibited an overall decrease in scores. Scores increased significantly with age in the control group but did not differ significantly with age for FASD participants. Children with FASD exhibited decision-making and risk-taking impairments on a hot EF task. Children with FASD did not appear to learn from negative experiences and shift to making more positive decisions over time and their performance did not improve with age. The implications of poor task performance and a lack of age-related findings in children with FASD are discussed. (JINS, 2012, 18, 1–8)

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