Social Competency
Social competency describes the skills we need to create and maintain positive interactions and relationships with others. This skill set will grow and evolve across our lifespan.
We draw on social cues, past experiences, and interpersonal sources of information to interact with people in social settings. This can be challenging for some people, including those with FASD. But social skills are essential to adaptive functioning. Helping people to identify and grow their strengths around social interaction can improve someone’s day-to-day function and build the skills that will help them to succeed in areas like employment, education, and interdependence.
Resources and Reports
FASD and Aggression: From Conceptualization to Clinical Best Practice (Webinar)
CanFASD, August 2024
In this webinar recording, viewers will learn about the conceptualization of aggressive behaviours and FASD while hearing about new research on clinical best practices around nonviolent resistance. using the application of Nonviolent Resistance. Presenters include researchers in the field and people with in-body experiences.
The National Consortium on Aggression toward Family / Caregivers in Childhood & Adolescence (External Organization)
The Consortium exists to increase awareness of aggression toward family/caregivers in childhood & adolescence (AFCCA) across Canada. They seek to improve lives of youth and families by mobilizing knowledge in ways that affects policy, systems, services, research, and professional practice.
The Center for NVR Therapy and Practice (CNTP) (External Organization)
The Center for NVR Therapy and Practice was founded advance NonViolent Resistance Therapy (or Presence Therapy) in the Americas. Their mission is to teach useful NVR knowledge, promote its growth and set standards for its practice.
Research
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and Sexually Inappropriate Behaviors: A Call on Sex Offender Treatment Clinicians to Become Informed
Jerrod Brown, Laura Cooney-Koss, Diane Harr, Diane Neal, Charlotte Gerth Haanen & Aaron Trnka
December, 2017, Journal of Special Populations
Unprepared: An Appeal for Sex Education Training for Support Workers of Adults with Developmental Disabilities
Amanda Saxe & Tara Flanagan
July 2016, Sexuality and Disability
Persons with FASD: Disability and Sexuality
Darleen Brackenreed
June 2015, Journal of Education and Human Development
Issue Papers
Gap Analysis: Human Trafficking and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (2023)
In Canada, human trafficking is a growing issue. Women and girls under 24 years of age, persons with disabilities, children involved in the child welfare system, Indigenous women and girls, and those who are socially and economically disadvantaged being most at risk of being trafficked. Despite this, very little research or support has been dedicated to understanding and addressing trafficking rates in people with disabilities, especially those with FASD. This gap analysis explores what we do know about FASD and human trafficking, and points out the unique complexities of FASD that may put people with FASD at a greater risk of being trafficked, to ultimately improve policy and practice in this area.
FASD and Inappropriate Sexual Behaviour (2018)
People with FASD may be involved in inappropriate sexual behaviour as either a victim or perpetrator. It is essential that there are FASD-informed approaches towards adopting healthy sexuality as part of holistic support for people with FASD. This issue paper explores the current research surrounding FASD and inappropriate sexual behaviour and gives recommendations for individuals, families, caregivers, and policy makers.
Victimization in People with FASD (2018)
Most research on the criminal legal system explores the increased risk of individuals with FASD coming into contact with the system as offenders, witnesses, and/or victims. But very little work has been done around the complexities of victimization in FASD. This paper explores the existing research and recommends ways to improve the legal system to better support individuals with FASD who are being victimized.