Executive and Social Functioning in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Comparison to Autism.
Executive function and social skills rise and fall together in both FASD and ASD, so EF supports may help social training in either group.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Researchers compared executive function and social skills in kids with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
They used parent rating scales to measure both groups on the same tasks.
What they found
Both groups showed high executive dysfunction scores.
Only working memory scores differed between the two groups.
Better executive function linked to better social skills in both FASD and ASD kids.
How this fits with other research
Gillespie-Lynch et al. (2019) meta-analysis found EF-social links in ASD are small. This new study agrees the link exists but shows it holds for FASD too.
Heald et al. (2020) saw parent-rated EF predict communication problems in school-age ASD. The current paper extends that by adding an FASD comparison group.
Petrolo et al. (2025) review says early EF deficits hurt social skills in preschoolers with ASD. The new data suggest the pattern continues into middle childhood for both ASD and FASD.
Why it matters
If you work with kids who have social struggles, screen for executive function even when autism is not the only diagnosis. Target working memory games or planning routines. These skills may boost conversation and play for children with either FASD or ASD.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Executive function is an area of challenge for both children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) and children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Parent ratings of everyday executive function relate to a range of outcomes, including social functioning in ASD. Comparisons between FASD and ASD have revealed both overlapping and distinct skills, but have not addressed executive function or its relation to social function. Utilizing parent report, the current study addressed relative strengths and weaknesses across scales of everyday executive function, as well as group differences between FASD and ASD. The association between executive function and social function was also evaluated. Participants with FASD (n = 23) and ASD (n = 18) were preschool and school-age children whose caregivers completed the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF, BRIEF-2, or BRIEF-P) and the Social Responsiveness Scale, Second Edition. For both groups and all examined executive function scales, scores exceeded the normative mean, indicating challenges. The groups differed significantly on only one executive function scale: working memory. In both groups, executive function was positively correlated with social functioning, even when controlling for nonverbal IQ. The current findings highlight an overlapping association between executive function and social function in FASD and ASD.
American journal on intellectual and developmental disabilities, 2025 · doi:10.1352/1944-7558-130.3.209