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Psychosocial Responses to being Identified as a Balanced Chromosomal Translocation Carrier: a Qualitative Investigation of Parents in Japan
Author(s) -
Kaneko Mikiko,
Ohashi Hirofumi,
Takamura Tomoko,
Kawame Hiroshi
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of genetic counseling
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.867
H-Index - 52
eISSN - 1573-3599
pISSN - 1059-7700
DOI - 10.1007/s10897-015-9828-6
Subject(s) - psychosocial , chromosomal translocation , ambivalence , feeling , genetic counseling , offspring , qualitative research , psychology , developmental psychology , quality of life research , public health , clinical psychology , medicine , social psychology , genetics , biology , psychotherapist , nursing , pregnancy , sociology , social science , gene
Abstract Undergoing chromosome analysis and receiving the results may have various psychosocial effects. To identify the impact on balanced translocation carriers identified through affected offspring, we conducted semi‐structured interviews with eleven parents at Saitama Children's Medical Center. The results of the interviews were analyzed qualitatively by the KJ (Kawakita Jiro) method. Categories and subcategories of the various thoughts, emotions and responses experienced by balanced chromosomal translocation carriers were extracted. Participants’ reactions were mixed, and appeared to be interrelated in some cases. Parents’ reactions were sometimes ambivalent with regard to effects on reproductive issues and disclosure of test results. We recommend genetic counseling before and after carrier testing to help parents cope with the mixed and complex thoughts and feelings that arise upon being identified as a carrier.