The study “The Correspondence Between Executive Functioning and Academic Achievement Among Children with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure” (Cheung et al., 2025) explores the relationship between executive functioning (EF) and academic achievement in children with prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE), including those diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Using both direct measures (standardized tests) and indirect measures (caregiver and teacher ratings via BRIEF2), the study examined how these different assessment approaches align and how they relate to academic performance.
Findings highlighted that direct and indirect measures of the same EF skills often do not strongly correlate, with some exceptions found in educator ratings. Importantly, academic achievement was associated with both teacher-rated EF challenges and direct EF measures, underscoring the relevance of assessing EF within educational contexts when working with children affected by PAE and FASD. The research emphasizes the value of using both direct and indirect measures in clinical assessments and provides guidance for clinicians seeking to understand how EF challenges may impact academic outcomes in this population.