Family system characteristics and psychological adjustment to cancer susceptibility genetic testing: a prospective study
- 14 December 2006
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Wiley in Clinical Genetics
- Vol. 71 (1), 35-42
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1399-0004.2007.00731.x
Abstract
This study examined prospectively the contribution of family functioning, differentiation to parents, family communication and support from relatives to psychological distress in individuals undergoing genetic susceptibility testing for a known familial pathogenic BRCA1/2 or Hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer‐related mutation. Family functioning, differentiation to parents, hereditary cancer‐related family communication and perceived support from relatives were assessed in 271 participants for genetic testing before test result disclosure. Hereditary cancer distress (assessed by the Impact of Event Scale) and cancer worry (assessed by the Cancer Worry Scale) were assessed before, 1 week after, and 6 months after test result disclosure. Participants reporting more cancer‐related distress over the study period more frequently perceived the communication about hereditary cancer with relatives as inhibited, the nuclear family functioning as disengaged‐rigid or enmeshed‐chaotic, the support from partner as less than adequate and the relationship to mother as less differentiated. Especially, open communication regarding hereditary cancer and partner support may be important buffers against hereditary cancer distress. Identifying individuals with insufficient sources of support and addressing the family communication concerning hereditary cancer in genetic counseling may help the counselee to adjust better to genetic testing.Keywords
This publication has 35 references indexed in Scilit:
- Women's satisfaction with genetic counseling for hereditary breast‐ovarian cancer: Psychological aspectsAmerican Journal of Medical Genetics Part A, 2004
- Healthy women from suspected hereditary breast and ovarian cancer families: the significant others in their livesEuropean Journal of Cancer Care, 2004
- Effects of spouses on distress experienced by BRCA1 mutation carriers over timeAmerican Journal Of Medical Genetics Part C-Seminars In Medical Genetics, 2002
- Risk perception and cancer worry: an exploratory study of the impact of genetic risk counselling in women with a family history of breast cancerJournal of Medical Genetics, 2001
- Marital status, marital satisfaction, and support processes among women at high risk for breast cancer.Journal of Family Psychology, 1999
- A validation study of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) in different groups of Dutch subjectsPsychological Medicine, 1997
- Nonverbal and Verbal Emotional Expression and HealthPsychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 1993
- The differentiation in the family system scale (difs)The American Journal of Family Therapy, 1992
- The Hospital Anxiety and Depression ScaleActa Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 1983
- Circumplex Model of Marital and Family Systems: I. Cohesion and Adaptability Dimensions, Family Types, and Clinical ApplicationsFamily Process, 1979