Assessment for Intervention of Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Perspectives of Classroom Teachers, Administrators, Caregivers, and Allied Professionals

The present study begins to address the need for evidence-based approaches for guiding the psychological assessment of children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). This project represents an impor-tant step toward increasing links between research and practice in the communication and use of assess-ment results for informing intervention decisions. Using a qualitative research approach, the current study contributes to knowledge about concerns with current psychological assessment practices and offers sug-gestions for optimization based on conversations with teachers, administrators, caregivers and allied pro-fessionals. Thematic analysis of 11 focus groups and 3 interviews (N = 60) yielded 3 major findings: the need to focus on the whole child, the necessity of an assessment process that is responsive, and building capacity in the school. This study increases the links between research and practice as we move toward a model of assessment for intervention. Such a model has a strong potential for optimizing assessment prac-tices to better meet the needs of children with FASDs as it promotes a shift that focuses on successful child outcomes regardless of diagnosis