GoFAR: improving attention, behavior and adaptive functioning in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders: Brief report.
Claire D Coles, Julie A Kable, Elles Taddeo and 1 others
PMID 29313400WHAT IT FOUND
The GoFAR program combining a computer game, parent training and supervised practice improved attention in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders versus controls.
Home daily living skills improved in both active groups in a small pilot.
Key findings
01The GoFAR group improved on a computerized attention measure, while the other groups did not.
02Both intervention groups improved on parent-rated daily living skills at home compared with controls.
03The study was a pilot, and other outcomes did not achieve significance in this small sample.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The sample was small. Not all families completed the study. One control family did not complete post testing, and one child could not complete neurocognitive measures because of more significant intellectual disability. Parent questionnaires may be influenced by participation in therapy. Many children were taking medications for behavioural problems. Many children had complex care histories, including adoption and multiple placements. The intervention combined several components, so the effect of any single component cannot be separated. No independent observations such as teacher reports were collected.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that the GoFAR computer game alone improves attention or adaptive behaviour. The GoFAR group also received parent training and supervised practice sessions, and the study was a small pilot with several outcomes that did not achieve significance.