# Technologies for Supporting Individuals and Caregivers Living With Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: Scoping Review

## TL;DR

This review explores how technology can support individuals with FASD and their caregivers, finding that it can help teach skills but is currently limited and under-researched.

## Contribution

The paper provides a scoping review of technologies for FASD support, highlighting gaps and opportunities in the field.

## Key findings

- Technology can be effective at teaching skills to individuals with FASD.
- Technology can support caregivers of individuals with FASD.
- There is currently limited technology available for FASD and its benefits are largely unexplored.

## Abstract

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is a common developmental disability that requires lifelong and ongoing support but is often difficult to find due to the lack of trained professionals, funding, and support available. Technology could provide cost-effective, accessible, and effective support to those living with FASD and their caregivers.

In this review, we aimed to explore the use of technology available for supporting people living with FASD and their caregivers.

We conducted a scoping review to identify studies that included technology for people with FASD or their caregivers; focused on FASD; used an empirical study design; were published since 2005; and used technology for assessment, diagnosis, monitoring, or support for people with FASD. We searched MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, APA PsycINFO, ACM Digital Library, JMIR Publications journals, the Cochrane Library, EBSCOhost, IEEE, study references, and gray literature to find studies. Searches were conducted in November 2022 and updated in January 2024. Two reviewers (CZC and HW) independently completed study selection and data extraction.

In total, 17 studies exploring technology available for people with FASD showed that technology could be effective at teaching skills, supporting caregivers, and helping people with FASD develop skills.

Technology could provide support for people affected by FASD; however, currently there is limited technology available, and the potential benefits are largely unexplored.