Clinical and Family Conversations Regarding Genetic Testing
A Case Study of Uncertainty Management
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21616221 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Heather E Canary (0000-0001-9066-0464, San Diego State University, corresponding author), Brianne M Daly (0000-0002-0207-8683, Huntsman Cancer Institute), Sarah Roberts (0000-0002-4383-4668, San Diego State University), Bob Wong (0000-0003-1386-4505, University of Utah), Lourdes S Martinez (0000-0001-8011-120X, San Diego State University), Matthew W Savage (0000-0003-3704-558X, San Diego State University), Amanda Gammon (0000-0001-9189-7156, Huntsman Cancer Institute), Kimberly A Kaphingst (0000-0003-2668-9080, Huntsman Cancer Institute) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 41 |
| Issue | 8 |
| Pages | 1468-1477 |
| Publication date | 2026-07-03 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Health Communication (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1041-0236 • E-ISSN: 1532-7027 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/10410236.2025.2572125 |
| PMID | 41102875 |
| OpenAlex | W4415304200 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 40 |
This study compares content in clinical and family interactions in the context of cancer-related genetic testing (CGT) of a patient with ovarian cancer. The sample was taken as an extreme instance from a larger study, representing participants in a situation with substantial uncertainty. Participants include a genetic counselor, a patient diagnosed with ovarian cancer who received a variant of uncertain significance (VUS) result, and her adult family members. Data include video recordings of the return-of-results genetic counseling session and the post-counseling family conversation, and survey responses from the patient and family members regarding emotions and communication satisfaction. Qualitative analysis revealed four themes: emotions talk, family talk, expressing uncertainty, and managing uncertainty. Interpretations were guided by uncertainty management theory constructs. Results regarding scientific or technical information, taken together with results regarding how to interpret test results, clinical and family recommendations, and implications for the family demonstrate the interconnected nature of uncertainty in this context. Results also demonstrate the emotional nature of uncertainty, including the critical role of social support for emotional attributions of uncertainty and quantitative results revealing that the patient had higher levels of anxiety and fear than her family members. This investigation represents an innovative approach to study actual interactions across clinical and family contexts, with findings that could be used to develop conversation strategies for patients to share CGT information with their families
Anxiety · Attribution · Conversation · Conversation analysis · Genetic counseling · Qualitative research · BRCA gene mutations in cancer · Ethics and Legal Issues in Pediatric Healthcare · Ethics in medical practice
Social Support and the Management of Uncertainty for People Living With HIV or Aids
Abbreviated instrument to measure hope
Communication About Negative and Uncertain Results
‘It's their blood not mine’
Communication and Uncertainty Management
The Social Amplification of Risk
Does family communication matter? Exploring knowledge of breast cancer genetics in cancer families
Delay versus help seeking for breast cancer symptoms
Theory utilization in current communication of cancer genetic testing research
Managing Uncertainty for and With Family
"How do we rally around the one who was positive?" Familial uncertainty management in the context of men managing BRCA-related cancer risks
Cognition During Marital Conflict
The Conceptualization and Measurement of Interpersonal Communication Satisfaction
| Highly cited | No |
|---|