A descriptive Study of a Community-Based Home-Visiting Program with Preschool Children Prenatally Exposed to Alcohol

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Attachment Theory

Background:

• Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) are linked to insecure caregiver-child attachment and negative child emotional-behavioral outcomes.
• Attachment-focused interventions show promise in preventing disrupted caregiver-child relationships.
• Existing interventions have not been specifically adapted for children with FASD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the implementation, challenges, and results of an adapted Circle of Security® (COS) intervention for preschool children affected by PAE/FASD.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of a community home-based attachment intervention tailored for this population.

Main Methods:

• The study involved twelve caregiver-child dyads participating in an adapted COS intervention.
• Children involved ranged in age from 2 to 5 years.
• The intervention was delivered in a community home-based setting.

Main Results:

• The individualized intervention positively influenced child behavior and parent efficacy.
• A significant reduction in parent stress was observed, maintained at 3-month follow-up.
• Clinically significant reductions in child behavioral issues and improved child communication of needs were noted.
• Parents demonstrated enhanced ability to attend to their child's cues.

Conclusions:

• Community home-based attachment interventions are supported for caregivers of children with PAE/FASD.
• The adapted COS intervention shows positive outcomes for this specific population.
• Further research into tailored attachment interventions for FASD is warranted.