Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26741411›Full record

SynthesisGenetics in medicine : official journal of the American College of Medical Genetics2016

The psychological impact of genetic information on children: a systematic review.

Claire E Wakefield, Lucy V Hanlon, Katherine M Tucker, Andrea F Patenaude, Christina Signorelli, Jordana K McLoone, Richard J Cohn

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Genetics in medicine : official journal of the American College of Medical Genetics, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 61 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
61citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

61 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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1 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Claire E WakefieldDiscipline of Paediatrics, School of Women's and Children's Health, UNSW Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Lucy V HanlonDiscipline of Paediatrics, School of Women's and Children's Health, UNSW Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-8648-6165
Katherine M TuckerHereditary Cancer Clinic, Department of Medical Oncology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, Australia.
Andrea F PatenaudeDepartment of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Christina SignorelliDiscipline of Paediatrics, School of Women's and Children's Health, UNSW Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-7091-0347
Jordana K McLooneDiscipline of Paediatrics, School of Women's and Children's Health, UNSW Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Richard J CohnDiscipline of Paediatrics, School of Women's and Children's Health, UNSW Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThis review assessed the psychological impact that acquiring personal and familial genetic information has on children. We also examined the concordance between the available empirical data and clinical guidance/perspectives articles.

methodsWe screened 591 abstracts and identified 13 studies, representing 966 children. Ten studies assessed 386 children tested for familial adenomatous polyposis (n = 171), hereditary cardiac disease (n = 134), and other conditions (n = 81). Three studies addressed the impact of BRCA1/2 testing of a family member on 580 children.

resultsSerious adverse psychological outcomes were uncommon. Most studies reported no significant increase in mean anxiety, depression, and distress scores (n = 8, 61.5%); however, some children experienced intrafamilial distress, discrimination, and guilt/regret. Some children were more concerned about their own health or their family members' health. There was limited consistency between anticipated adverse impact and empirical data.

conclusionsThe review identified little conclusive evidence of deleterious psychological consequences for children acquiring genetic information. However, there is a lack of data regarding genetic testing for conditions that may not be treatable/modifiable, as well as a dearth of longitudinal studies. Therefore, clinical caution remains essential for the ethical integration of genetic testing into pediatrics. Further research assessing the potential positive and negative effects of genetic testing in childhood is warranted.Genet Med 18 8, 755-762.

Indexed as

AdolescentChildChild BehaviorFemaleGenetic TestingHumansMaleStress, Psychological

Identifiers

PMID26741411

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.