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ABSTRACT
Background: Neurobehavioural screening measures specific to foetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are warranted to inform treatment and care. This study determined basic psychometric properties of the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Consultation, Education, and Training Services (FASCETS) Neurobehavioural Screening Tool (NBST) to measure neurobehavioural deficits and understand the potential for adjunctive use with the FASD 4-Digit Diagnostic Code.
Method: Caregivers of 86 children, adolescents, and young adults voluntarily completed surveys as part of a medical evaluation for FASD. Exploratory factor analyses were conducted to evaluate internal reliability and to describe the relationship between variables.
Results: The NBST demonstrated adequate factor structure and internal consistency reliability. Two of the NBST subscales (Executive Function 1 and Learning) were significantly correlated with clinical rankings for central nervous system structural/functional abnormalities of the FASD 4-Digit Diagnostic Code.
Conclusions: Results provide preliminary evidence that the NBST has adequate psychometric properties and may be a useful adjunctive screening tool for the medical diagnosis of FASD.
Acknowledgements
The authors thank the families and caregivers who participated in this pilot study and Marilyn Pierce-Bulger, ANP. Additionally, the authors thank Diane Malbin, MSW, who promotes a neurobehavioural approach to support individuals impacted by foetal alcohol spectrum disorders and other brain-based disabilities.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.