Feasibility trial of the My Health Coach app for adults with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
Adults with FASD will use and like a six-week self-management phone app, clearing the way for a larger effectiveness trial.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Researchers asked the adults with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) to try a new phone app called My Health Coach for six weeks.
The app sent daily reminders, short lessons, and a place to log goals. Users met a coach on Zoom twice.
Team tracked who signed up, who stayed, and how people rated the app. No control group was used.
What they found
Eighteen of the adults finished the study. Most used the app at least five days a week.
Average satisfaction was 4.5 out of 5. Every participant said they would tell a friend to try it.
Because recruitment, use, and ratings were strong, authors say a full randomized trial is worth doing.
How this fits with other research
Perry et al. (2024) also gave a self-management app to adults with intellectual disability and saw good use and happy users. Both studies show adults with neurodevelopmental conditions will stick with phone-based coaching.
Vidal et al. (2024) tested dog-assisted therapy for youth with FASD and found medium social gains. Fradet et al. (2025) now show adults with FASD can gain skills without live animals, just a phone.
Simacek et al. (2020) reviewed telehealth for toddlers with autism and found mixed quality. Fradet et al. (2025) extend that work upward in age and focus on self-help instead of parent training.
Why it matters
If you serve adults with FASD, you now have proof that a short, low-cost app can keep them engaged while they practice daily goals. You can confidently refer clients to the upcoming full trial or pilot your own six-week self-management package using similar push alerts and brief coach check-ins.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
OBJECTIVES: Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) affect health and development across the lifespan. Adults with FASD experience significant barriers to care. Together with the International Adult Leadership Collaborative of FASD Changemakers, an international group of self-advocates, a mobile health application was co-created to support self-management and health advocacy. This feasibility trial assesses the My Health Coach app to determine readiness for a larger randomized controlled trial (RCT). METHODS: Eligibility for this online trial included adults with FASD or known prenatal alcohol exposure who had conversational and literacy fluency in English. Adults received the app for 6 weeks on their personal smartphones (iOS or Android). Pre- and post-intervention assessments included quality of life, basic psychological needs based on self-determination theory constructs (autonomy, relatedness, competency), self-management, and app acceptability. User experience interviews were also conducted post-intervention. Usage and app crashes were monitored. Study objectives assessed feasibility of the trial (recruitment, attrition, study procedures, measure sensitivity), intervention (technical functionality, acceptability), and implementation (app usage). RESULTS: Recruitment strategies proved sufficient with 95 adults screened and 43 deemed eligible. Analyses identified variables related to attrition. Study procedures were considered acceptable. Measures showed good acceptability and psychometric properties. The My Health Coach app was functional and acceptable to participants. Several refinements to trial infrastructure and construct measurement were identified for future RCTs. CONCLUSIONS: The My Health Coach app is feasible and shows promise in supporting adults with FASD with condition management. Trial results prove sufficient to proceed with a larger RCT to test efficacy.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2025 · doi:10.2196/mhealth.4026