Psychological aspects of genetic counselling / edited by Alan E.H. Emery, Ian M. Pullen.

Date:
1984
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

Credit: Psychological aspects of genetic counselling / edited by Alan E.H. Emery, Ian M. Pullen. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    144 PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF GENETIC COUNSELLING Shore up compensatory bonds with surrogate figures In situations of chronic high or low grade stress, it is useful to develop an array of individuals who can provide support. This can ease the burden on the primary caretaker. These surrogate figures may be within the extended family, such as grandparents (who are often tremendously important in helping their own children and their spouses, and their grandchildren, and who may need their own parental role bolstered), aunts and uncles, in-laws, cousins or others. They may be teachers, persons at work, worship, or in the community. A useful exercise for family members is to draw up a 'network map' of important relationships. Often there are interesting differences among family members in the extensiveness of the web they construct; these differences may, in turn, be reflected in the level of coping of individual members. Counselors should consider inviting members of the wider sup¬ portive net to sessions. Teach cognitive skills In high risk studies a good intellect seems to provide some natural protection, perhaps because bright people find it easier spontaneously to be interested in their environment and to generate alternate means of solving problems. Whatever the native endowment, cognitive skills should be taught which will help a person have some mastery over the environment such as verbal ability, reading, math, memory, and problem solving. Teach how to be receptive to environmental stimuli, to screen what is relevant and to use these factors in problem solving. Help improve judgment. Assist with developing good impulse control Feeling overwhelmed by small daily events can compound being over¬ whelmed by serious life problems. Teach mastery over impulses and feelings as well as thejoy of'letting go', the freedom to express feelings without fear, and the satisfaction of knowing one will not 'blow' and feel regretful afterward. Particularly with a late onset disease, it is helpful to work on a person's time perspective and help them develop a reasonable capacity both to indulge and delay gratification. 'Assertiveness training' or improving self-esteem Many feel ashamed of their families' or their own genetic 'defects', as they perceive them. Make explicit such self-denigrating images and work with the individual either to recognize their inaccuracy or change the behavior which leads to them. Although people may not say they feel damaged or flawed,