Yarning about fetal alcohol spectrum disorder: Outcomes of a community-based workshop.
A single yarning workshop lifts FASD knowledge and attitudes yet leaves referral plans unchanged.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Reid et al. (2021) ran a one-day co-design workshop in a rural Australian town. Thirty-two health, justice, and education staff sat in a circle and "yarned" about fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD).
The team used Aboriginal yarning methods—open talk, story-sharing, and collective drawing—to plan a culturally grounded assessment service.
What they found
After the day, staff knew more FASD facts and saw the kids as neurodevelopmental, not "bad." Yet their day-to-day plans to screen or refer did not change.
Participants said the workshop felt safe and useful, but they still wanted clearer next steps and ongoing support.
How this fits with other research
Mammarella et al. (2022) pooled 58 surveys and found most professionals everywhere have poor FASD knowledge. The workshop result matches that baseline—rural staff started low and moved up.
Chamberlain et al. (2017) interviewed caregivers who felt validated by diagnosis but still could not get services. The workshop tackled the same gap from the provider side, showing both studies point to system barriers, not personal failings.
Cruz-Montecinos et al. (2024) later showed brief caregiver coaching keeps PBS strategies alive months later. Their positive outcome seems to clash with the flat referral intent here, but the difference is follow-up: caregivers got four coaching calls; staff got none.
Why it matters
One day can shift attitudes, but it is not enough to shift practice. Pair your next FASD in-service with a clear workflow—who screens, who refers, and who follows up. Add booster sessions or peer mentoring to keep the momentum alive.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
INTRODUCTION: There is a lack of neurodevelopmental assessment services in rural and remote locations in Australia that consider fetal alcohol spectrum disorder as a possible outcome. METHODS: Eighty-seven participants attended a workshop to support community-based professional development and co-design of a novel assessment approach. Qualitative data collection included video recording of the workshop, and small group discussions, for which a narrative analysis was utilised. Quantitative data collection included self-report questionnaires to understand current community practices and three key constructs: practitioner knowledge, attitudes, and intentions for future practice. RESULTS: The narrative analysis highlighted the ongoing impacts of colonisation, in terms of intergenerational trauma and alcohol use, experienced in the community today, and the potential high rates of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. To address these issues, multiple strategies were discussed, including the recognition of First Nations knowledge and expertise and a focus on the next generation and community organisations working collaboratively. The pre-and post-questionnaires demonstrated that practitioners' knowledge and attitudes were enhanced after attending the workshop, however practitioner intentions were not. The lack of significance for the intentions variable may have been due to the small number of available responses for that variable, in comparison to the other two constructs. DISCUSSION: The current study identified key learnings from workshop facilitators and participants. The findings call attention to the importance of a co-design approach, where collaboration is vital to support the appropriate adaption of evidence-based practice to suit the local context.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2021 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2020.103810