The Educational Experiences of Young People with a Diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) in UK Secondary Schools: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis.

Whiting, Lauren (2026) The Educational Experiences of Young People with a Diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) in UK Secondary Schools: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Doctoral thesis, University of East Anglia.

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Abstract

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a complex, lifelong neurodevelopmental condition caused by prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE), which can impact physical, emotional and cognitive development. While awareness is developing, there is need for greater understanding, recognition and support across healthcare, education and society. UK literature exploring the educational experiences of CYP with FASD is sparse, though highlights experiences of educational challenges, with school reported as a primary stressor. Research primarily focuses on caregivers’ perspectives, with lack of research eliciting CYP’s views. This qualitative research therefore addresses a knowledge gap, as the first UK study to explore the educational experiences of young people with FASD in secondary settings, learning from CYP’s experiences, rather than indirectly through others’ accounts. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four CYP (3 males, 1 female; aged 12–13), analysed through seven-stage Interpretative Phenological Analysis (IPA). Interviews incorporated visual resources to support accessibility, reflecting the spectrum of needs associated with FASD. IPA gave value to participants individual experiences and meaning-making, alongside exploring convergence and divergence across accounts (Eatough & Smith, 2017), reflected through five Group Experiential Themes (GETs): Adults as Shaping Safety, Trust and Access to Learning, Reliance on Trusted Peers to Navigate Learning and Social Interactions, School Ethos Shaping Experiences of Inclusive Practice, Making Sense of Academic Challenges and Sensory Support as Fundamental to Educational Experiences. The study adds to the limited UK evidence base, highlighting these young people’s educational experiences as multifaceted and how they make sense of school through relationships, trust, peer support, sensory safety, academic self-concept and perceptions of school ethos. Notably, participants rarely referenced or expressed frustration towards their diagnosis, as highlighted in prior research from others’ perspectives. The findings highlight implications for educational professionals, inclusive of Educational Psychologists (EPs), alongside suggested future directions of research.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Social Sciences > School of Education and Lifelong Learning
Depositing User:	Chris White
Date Deposited:	30 Sep 2026 08:22
Last Modified:	30 Sep 2026 08:22
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/104654
DOI:

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