In the last decade, post-genomic researches have led to renegotiate several notions, such as health and illness and, specifically, the conception of life and procreation, today object of study in the field of Health Psychology. When prenatal or preconception diagnosis is requested, genetic counselling (GC) represents a key step for those who cope with reproductive choices (Kessler, 1997, 2001; Saviolo-Negrin, Cusinato, 1998; Kay, Kingston, 2002; Nusbaum et al., 2008; Uhlmann, Schuette, Yashar, 2009; Zaccaro, Freda, 2009), making the construction of parental pact (Scabini, Cigoli, 2000) more complex. In an ampler research project, this qualitative investigation focuses on the attitudes and motivations of counselees who attend for the first time a Centre of Cardiomyology and Medical Genetics in Naples in order to explore the system of significance about their request of GC and in order to relieve feelings of vulnerability. Transcripts of 15 semi-structured interviews (recorded and transcribed verbatim) are conducted in a pre-counseling setting and they are analysed by Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis-IPA (Smith, 1996). The results show that the request of GC is originated by several life events, considered as specific developmental tasks, which belong not only to the single/couple, but also to their families since they share the same pedigree. The emerging themes highlight how the awareness of the risk, the cognitive procession of medical information and the emotions, such as anxiety and guilt change on the basis of family transition and its developmental tasks (marriage, pregnancy project, reproductive failure and multiple miscarriages). These changes and the consequent choices are strictly linked to the different use of GC. We suggest that this study may have implications for the planning of joint geneticist/psychologist practice, which might support the counselees’ informative and decision-making processes as goals in the most important definitions of GC (Fraser, 1974; Kessler, 1997; Biesecker, Peters, 2002).
The Post-genomic Era: transition to parenthood and genetic counseling / Zaccaro, Antonella; Freda, MARIA FRANCESCA. - (2010). (Intervento presentato al convegno 5th Congress of the European Society on Family Relations (ESFR 2010) tenutosi a Milano nel 29 September- 2 October 2010).
The Post-genomic Era: transition to parenthood and genetic counseling
ZACCARO, ANTONELLA;FREDA, MARIA FRANCESCA
2010
Abstract
In the last decade, post-genomic researches have led to renegotiate several notions, such as health and illness and, specifically, the conception of life and procreation, today object of study in the field of Health Psychology. When prenatal or preconception diagnosis is requested, genetic counselling (GC) represents a key step for those who cope with reproductive choices (Kessler, 1997, 2001; Saviolo-Negrin, Cusinato, 1998; Kay, Kingston, 2002; Nusbaum et al., 2008; Uhlmann, Schuette, Yashar, 2009; Zaccaro, Freda, 2009), making the construction of parental pact (Scabini, Cigoli, 2000) more complex. In an ampler research project, this qualitative investigation focuses on the attitudes and motivations of counselees who attend for the first time a Centre of Cardiomyology and Medical Genetics in Naples in order to explore the system of significance about their request of GC and in order to relieve feelings of vulnerability. Transcripts of 15 semi-structured interviews (recorded and transcribed verbatim) are conducted in a pre-counseling setting and they are analysed by Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis-IPA (Smith, 1996). The results show that the request of GC is originated by several life events, considered as specific developmental tasks, which belong not only to the single/couple, but also to their families since they share the same pedigree. The emerging themes highlight how the awareness of the risk, the cognitive procession of medical information and the emotions, such as anxiety and guilt change on the basis of family transition and its developmental tasks (marriage, pregnancy project, reproductive failure and multiple miscarriages). These changes and the consequent choices are strictly linked to the different use of GC. We suggest that this study may have implications for the planning of joint geneticist/psychologist practice, which might support the counselees’ informative and decision-making processes as goals in the most important definitions of GC (Fraser, 1974; Kessler, 1997; Biesecker, Peters, 2002).I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
