267324 Attributions for FASDs: Blame, responsibility, and their consequences

Monday, October 29, 2012 : 1:10 PM - 1:30 PM

Bridget Hanson, PhD , Center for Behavioral Health Research and Services, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK
Rebecca Porter, MS , Center for Behavioral Health Research and Services, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK
Alexandra Edwards, BA (Hons) , Center for Behavioral Health Research and Services, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK
Virginia Mongeau, BBA , Center for Behavioral Health Research and Services, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK
Christiane Brems, PhD, ABPP, RYT , Center for Behavioral Health Research and Services, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK
Mark Johnson, PhD , Center for Behavioral Health Research and Services, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK
As causal explanations for events and behaviors, attributions of blame and responsibility have broad legal and societal implications. In cases of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), these attributions can relate to conclusions about the biological mother's competence, social support the family is likely to receive from the community, and even quality of treatment provided by health care professionals. The current study explored attributions in a hypothetical FASD case, including blame and responsibility assigned to an individual with FASD as well as the parents, family, and community.

Participants were 93 volunteer trainees in an intensive FASD seminar. Before and after the seminar, participants read a brief story about a child who experiences an FASD and responded to questions related to the responsibility, blame, and social consequences applicable to the situation. Results of paired t-tests showed significant changes in participants' attributions. Following the seminar, participants attributed significantly less responsibility and blame to the mother and indicated less mourning for the child's condition, less shame surrounding the family, and less agreement that the mother deserved legal punishment (p < .05 for all).

These findings indicate education regarding FASDs results in changes in patterns of cognitions. These cognitions have social support and social justice implications directly relevant to individuals with FASDs and families of individuals with FASDs, including community support, healthcare treatment, and legal consequences. This preliminary study will provide the basis for additional research investigating attributions related to FASDs, changes in attributions and other social cognitions, and the behavioral consequences of these cognitions.

Learning Areas:
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Explain social and legal implications of attributions of blame and responsibility for FASDs. Discuss impact of FASD education on attributions of blame and responsibility.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a research assistant professor at the Center for Behavioral Health Research and Services which houses the Arctic FASD Regional Training Center (RTC). I serve as the evaluator for the RTC and am responsible for this attributions study.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 3274.0: Women's health decisions about preconception, maternal, and postpartum care