Parenting stress and FASD: A scoping review

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder that may arise following prenatal exposure to alcohol. Children with FASD tend to experience a diverse set of physical, social, cognitive, and behavioral symptoms. Caregivers of these children likely experience elevated levels of parenting stress; however, research in this area is still in its infancy. The present study sought to more fully understand the current state of the literature on parenting stress experienced by caregivers of children with FASD. Databases including PsycInfo, Scopus, PsycArticles, and Google Scholar were searched for records meeting our inclusion criteria. 15 studies were deemed eligible for this review. This literature suggests that caregivers of children with FASD experience heightened levels of parenting stress. Child factors, especially child behavior and executive functioning difficulties are associated with Child Domain stress, while parent factors are associated with Parent Domain stress. Gaps were identified in child and caregiver mental health issues, as well as placement information.