The causal web of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders: a review and causal diagram

McQuire, Cheryl, Daniel, Rhian ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5649-9320, Hurt, Lisa ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2741-5383, Kemp, Alison ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1359-7948 and Paranjothy, Shantini ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0528-3121 2020. The causal web of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders: a review and causal diagram. European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 29 , pp. 575-594. 10.1007/s00787-018-1264-3

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Abstract

Foetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) are a leading cause of developmental disability. Prenatal alcohol use is the sole necessary cause of FASD, but it is not always sufficient. Multiple factors influence a child’s susceptibility to FASD following prenatal alcohol exposure. Much of the FASD risk factor literature has been limited to discussions of association, rather than causation. While knowledge of predictor variables is important for identifying who is most at risk of FASD and for targeting interventions, causal knowledge is important for identifying effective mechanisms for prevention and intervention programmes. We conducted a systematic search and narrative synthesis of the evidence and used this to create a causal diagram (directed acyclic graph; DAG) to describe the causal pathways to FASD. Our results show that the aetiology of FASD is multifaceted and complex. FASD risk is determined by a range of lifestyle, sociodemographic, maternal, social, gestational, and genetic factors. The causal diagram that we present in this review provides a comprehensive summary of causal risk factors for FASD and can be used as a tool to inform data collection and statistical modelling strategies to minimise bias in future studies of FASD.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Medicine
Publisher:	Springer Verlag
ISSN:	1018-8827
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	6 December 2018
Date of Acceptance:	5 December 2018
Last Modified:	06 Nov 2024 04:00
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/117421

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