An overview of family-focused interventions for supporting children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder: A scoping review.

PURPOSE: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition caused by prenatal alcohol exposure, associated with academic difficulties, motor impairments, language deficits, and executive function challenges. These difficulties extend beyond the individual child, placing stress on caregivers and creating unique needs within the family system. A scoping review was conducted to synthesize empirical evidence on family-focused interventions designed to support both children with FASD and their caregivers.

METHODS

A comprehensive search of Google Scholar, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Medline, and PubMed identified 521 peer-reviewed articles published between 2003 and 2025. Twenty-two studies met inclusion criteria, including quantitative (n = 18) and mixed-methods (n = 4) designs.

RESULTS

Core interventions identified included Children's Friendship Training, GoFAR, the Alert Program, and the MILE intervention. Most studies reported positive outcomes, with approximately two-thirds demonstrating reductions in children's internalizing and externalizing behaviours and over one-third reporting improvements in social skills and decreases in caregiver stress. However, variability in study design, measures, and reporting limited cross-study comparisons and generalisability.

CONCLUSION

Findings support the potential of family-focused interventions to reduce child behavioural difficulties and caregiver stress while improving family functioning. Future research should seek to prioritize randomized controlled trials, standardized outcome measures, and greater attention to cultural adaptability and long-term follow-up.