Written by Ariella Golden, member of the 2025 CanFASD Trainee Program.
Hello! My name is Ariella, and I am a doctoral student studying Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology at the University of Guelph. I was introduced to fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) during my undergraduate studies, by my then (and ongoing!) research supervisor Dr. Kaitlyn McLachlan. I had a strong interest in neurodevelopment back then and a personal connection to the autism community but had never truly heard of FASD. Since then, I have had the privilege of learning a great deal about the unique challenges, strengths, and resilience within the FASD community – most meaningfully from individuals’ living experiences, contributing to a variety of FASD-related research projects, and working clinically with neurodiverse youth.
Research motivation and inspiration
Having worked in educational settings for several years, I have long been interested in the intersection between neurodiversity and education. My research experiences pushed me to grow curious about educational experiences of students with FASD in particular. In past research endeavors, I heard from children with FASD and their caregivers about things they love about learning and school, as well as difficulties they’ve encountered through the education system. I have also read about challenges that students with FASD may face when schools are not set up to meet their needs. Then, during a schoolboard practicum last year, I was struck by reactions from the psychology and special education team I was working with when they heard about my interest in FASD and involvement in FASD research.
They described the unique challenges and considerations they have encountered when assessing or otherwise supporting students with confirmed or possible FASD. They also expressed interest in learning more about FASD and ways to better support this population. I was inspired by their anecdotes and enthusiasm and have since been eager to know more about psychologists’ roles supporting students with FASD, their prevailing needs and knowledge/practice gaps, and how they can be better supported to, in turn, support these students.
Current research
I am in early stages of developing a study to better understand psychologists’ FASD-related knowledge, attitudes, practices, training/service needs, and successes. In particular, I am interested in psychologists in the Canadian education sector. A nationwide survey will allow us to determine what psychologists in Canada are thinking and doing when it comes to FASD, and where gaps remain. This is the first step in calling for change within the systems that train and support them. At present, it appears that psychologists and education professionals outside of Canada hold limited awareness and perceived competence with FASD, but research on this topic within Canada remains limited.
Beyond the survey, I am interested in interviewing psychologists with competence and/or successful experiences supporting students with FASD in educational contexts. I hope to learn more about factors that aid them, and the broader changes they view as most needed to help psychologists better support students with FASD. At present, the FASD literature tends to highlight deficits and challenges, though there have been more recent efforts to balance the narrative by examining strengths and successes in the FASD world as well. I believe these efforts should extend to service providers supporting individuals with FASD as well: there is much learning and empowerment to glean from positive personal stories!
Reach out to me!
If you have any questions, comments, or personal experiences that come to mind when reading about this study, I would love to hear from you! I am in early stages of my research and would love to connect. You can reach me at ariella@uoguelph.ca.
Further reading
- Brett, K., Harding, K. H., & The Family Advisory Committee (2018). Current strategies and educational supports for students with FASD. Canada FASD Research Network.
- Millar, J. A., Thompson, J., Schwab, D., Hanlon-Dearman, A., Goodman, D., Koren, G., & Masotti, P. (2017). Educating students with FASD: Linking policy, research and practice. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 17(1), 3-17.
- Reedman, B., Breen, K., & Wu, H. (2024). ‘Trying differently’ towards improving school experiences: Systematically reviewing research on school experiences for students with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and their teachers. Children and Youth Services Review, 107724.
- Chu, J. T. W., McCormack, J. C., Marsh, S., & Bullen, C. (2023). Knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards fetal alcohol spectrum disorder in New Zealand educators: An online survey. Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, 27(3), 762-776.
- Flannigan, K., Wrath, A., Ritter, C., McLachlan, K., Harding, K. D., Campbell, A., … & Pei, J. (2021). Balancing the story of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder: A narrative review of the literature on strengths. Alcoholism: Clinical and experimental research, 45(12), 2448-2464.
- Heath, D. S. (2022). Supporting healthy outcomes in individuals with FASD: How do professional psychology programs across Canada support FASD-related learning?. [Master’s thesis, University of Alberta]. Education and Research Archive.
- Kerimofski, K. L., Panton, K. R., & Pestell, C. F. (2024). Australian psychologists’ knowledge, confidence, and practices in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder diagnostic assessment. Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research, 48(4), 653-666.
Ariella Golden is a doctoral student in Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology at the University of Guelph. Before beginning graduate studies, Ariella took a year to teach English abroad which reinforced her interest in education systems. Ariella is passionate about accessible and inclusive education and clinical work to support youth well-being.