Below is a list of ongoing research studies currently looking for participants.
CAREGIVERS
C.A.R.E. Caregiver Approaches, Resiliencies, and Experiences
FASD is a complex disability. Caring for someone who has FASD comes with unique challenges and successes. Unfortunately, there has not been much research to understand the whole experience of caring for someone with FASD across the lifespan. This study aims to learn about the lived experiences of people who care for someone with FASD.
Exploring Cannabis Use and Effects in Adults with FASD – Caregivers
The purpose of this survey is to gather feedback from caregivers and front-line staff who live in Canada and work with adults who have FASD or a related disorder. Caregivers include close family members, foster parents, guardians, or residential care staff taking care of an adult with FASD or a related disorder, and has regular personal contact with the person with FASD.
CHOoSE: Housing for Individuals with FASD – Caregivers
Are you a caregiver, spouse, partner, close friend, or other key support person of someone with FASD over the age of 18? We are recruiting for an interview study about housing for individuals with FASD. The interview will take approximately 45-60 minutes and you will be compensated for your time. If you’re interested in participating, please contact housing@canfasd.ca or check out our website.
INDIVIDUALS WITH FASD
CHOoSE: Housing for Individuals with FASD – Individuals with FASD
Do you have FASD? Are you over the age of 16? Do you live in Canada? If you answered “yes” to these questions, you can participate in our study.
We are recruiting for an interview study to talk about your lived experience with housing. The interview will take about 30-45 minutes of your time. If you’re interested in participating, please contact housing@canfasd.ca or check out our website.

Evaluating Strengths and Protective Factors in Justice-Involved Youth with FASD
Caregivers of youth with FASD in Canada who have experienced involvement in the criminal justice system as adolescents or young adults (12-24 years) are invited to participate in a study. Additional inclusion criteria for eligible caregiver participants in this study include residing in Canada, English-speaking, who currently or historically (within the past five years) have cared for a youth with FASD that has been justice-involved during the indicated age span. You will be asked about strengths, protective factors, and outcomes. The interview will take approximately 45 minutes. Participants will be compensated for their time. Learn more.
Strengths in Adults with FASD
We want to hear from adults with FASD about their strengths and successes. We’re doing a study to learn about how adults with FASD see themselves, what they’re good at, and how they feel about their lives. We are looking for people with FASD who are 18 years or older, in Canada and worldwide.
There are three different ways to be a part of this study. You can pick how you want to share with us:
- You can answer survey questions about your thoughts and feelings
- You can share artwork or pictures that are important to you. You can use any kind of art you want, then take a picture of it and send us the picture. We’ll also ask you to tell us what it means to you, using your own words.
- You can even do both things!
It will take about an hour of your time. If you or someone you know are interested in completing the survey, follow this link. If you don’t have internet but still want to do the study, you can contact Katy Flannigan at katy.flannigan@canfasd.ca.
Exploring Cannabis Use and Effects in Adults with FASD – Adults with FASD
You are being asked to be in this study because you are an adult with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Some people with FASD use pot (also known as marijuana, weed, cannabis) to help them with health problems. We are looking for adults with FASD who have used pot and adults with FASD who have not used pot to complete this survey.
Legal Decision-Making in Youth – Youth and Young Adults
PLAN Lab is inviting youth and young adults between the ages of 12 and 24 with and without FASD who currently reside in Canada and speak English to participate in this study. The private meeting will take up to 2.5 hours, over one or two sessions, with breaks. Currently, the study meetings are taking place virtually via Microsoft Teams. Participants will be asked to read stories about a crime, make legal decisions, and answer interview questions about themselves, their decision-making, and knowledge of the legal system. Finally, participants will be asked to do some problem-solving activities to better understand their thinking and decision-making. Participants are eligible for compensation for their time. Learn more.
PROFESSIONALS
CHOoSE: Housing for Individuals with FASD – Service Providers
Are you a housing service provider or employee of a housing program in Canada?We are recruiting for an interview study to talk about your lived experience with housing. The interview will take about 30-45 minutes of your time. If you’re interested in participating, please contact housing@canfasd.ca or check out our website.

We are inviting professionals, clinicians and service providers who work in forensic and legal contexts to participate in an online survey examining practices around identifying and screening for FASD. The goal of this research is to better understand current practices and needs to inform the development of helpful tools and resources to support improved recognition, understanding, and support of people with FASD in criminal justice contexts. We are interested in hearing from those with and without experience identifying or screening for FASD in their role.
This study is being conducted by Dr. Kaitlyn McLachlan at the University of Guelph, Dr. Jacqueline Pei and Dr. Melissa Tremblay from the University of Alberta, Dr. Mansfield Mela at the University of Saskatchewan, Dr. Katy Flannigan from the Canada FASD Research Network, and the Asante Centre.
If you would like to participate or find out more about this study, you can access the survey here or contact us at planlab@uoguelph.ca or by phone: 518-824-4129, extension 53622

Evaluating the Psychotropic Medication Algorithm for FASD
Dr. Mela and a team of 12 multidisciplinary international experts spent over 2 years developing a decision-tree style medication algorithm to guide prescribers as they see patients with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder/Neurobehavioral Disorder Associated with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure (FASD/ND-PAE). This survey is to be completed by prescribers who are using the medication algorithm with their patients.
Exploring Cannabis Use and Effects in Adults with FASD – Frontline Staff
The purpose of this survey is to gather feedback from caregivers and front-line staff who live in Canada and work with adults who have FASD or a related disorder. Front-line staff includes people who work in a profession that involves regularly providing direct services to an adult with FASD or a related disorder (i.e., support/caseworker, social worker, educational assistant, mentor, occupational therapist, speech-language pathologist, psychologist, therapist, or job coach).
Psychological Service Provision to Children and Youth in School-Relevant Context Surveys
We are inviting psychologists and psychological associates to participate in a survey examining best practices when working with children/youth who may have FASD in school-relevant contexts (30-45 min). Participants will be entered to win one of five clinical textbooks about FASD (1 in 60 odds of winning). If you would like to participate and find out more about the study, please click on this link.
Brain Development in Children and Youth with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure
The Developmental Neuroimaging Lab is looking for children and youth (7-18 years old) with and without prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) to participate in a study at the Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary or the University of Alberta in Edmonton. Learn more and participate.