# Assessment of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Using Novel Web-Based Tools

> **NIH NIH U01** · SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $444,625

## Abstract

The detrimental effects of prenatal alcohol exposure, including cognitive, behavioral, and physical impacts,
have been well documented over several decades. They include long-standing effects on multiple domains of
function. Alcohol-affected individuals often go unrecognized. In addition, wait times for evaluation can be quite
long, further delaying the accurate identification of affected individuals. Effective online screening tools can
decrease wait times and streamline evaluations in specialty clinics.
Prenatal alcohol exposure continues to represent a significant public health concern and increased efforts at
documenting risk, improving identification, and providing clinically-efficient tools are paramount. As such, the
overarching aim of this proposal is to improve the screening for prenatal alcohol exposure and fetal alcohol
spectrum disorder (FASD) by deploying web-based tools that aid in clinical evaluation. Two main tools will be
used, the FASD-Tree and the Brief Assessment of Individual Neurobehavior – online version (BRAIN-online).
Both tools use web-based technology for collecting data and provide the clinician with information about the
individual’s physical, behavioral, and cognitive attributes. Specifically, the FASD-Tree records physical and
behavioral data, and BRAIN-online measures impulsivity, attention, problem-solving, processing speed,
memory, spatial working memory, and set-shifting.
To achieve the aims of this study, child subjects (6-17y) will be evaluated using either the combination of
FASD-Tree and BRAIN-online or BRAIN-online alone (Aim 1-3). Parents will complete online questionnaires
regarding their child’s background, demographics, and behavior and some children will be given a
standardized in-person neuropsychological test battery. In Aim 1, we will examine the relation between
FASD-Tree and BRAIN-online, including classification accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity for each tool and
their combination. In Aim 2, data from these novel tools will be combined with traditional and advanced (e.g.,
MorpheusQ and 3D facial imaging) physical measurements collected through other CIFASD projects. The
combination of measures used in the proposed research will result in a convenient, scalable, and cost-effective
adjunct to standard diagnostic tools.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10467292
- **Project number:** 2U01AA014834-19
- **Recipient organization:** SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** SARAH N MATTSON WELLER
- **Activity code:** U01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $444,625
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2003-09-30 → 2027-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10467292

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10467292, Assessment of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Using Novel Web-Based Tools (2U01AA014834-19). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10467292. Licensed CC0.

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