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A review of the psychosocial effects of false‐positive results on parents and current communication practices in newborn screening
Author(s) -
Hewlett J.,
Waisbren S. E.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of inherited metabolic disease
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.462
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1573-2665
pISSN - 0141-8955
DOI - 10.1007/s10545-006-0381-1
Subject(s) - anxiety , newborn screening , false positive paradox , psychosocial , medicine , clinical psychology , psychology , psychiatry , developmental psychology , pediatrics , machine learning , computer science
Summary As more states adopt expanded newborn screening for metabolic disorders, the overall number of false positives increases. False‐positive screening results have been associated with increased anxiety and stress in parents of infants who require follow‐up testing, even after the infant's good health is confirmed. This article reviews the literature on the negative impact of false‐positive newborn screening results on parents, along with a review of current communication practices for follow‐up screening. The results of this review suggest that parental stress and anxiety can be reduced with improved education and communication to parents, specifically at the time of follow‐up screening. Communication strategies with sample materials are proposed.