Supplementary Material for: Behavioral changes after psychiatric genetic counseling: an exploratory study

Introduction: Though it is well established that genetic information does not produce behavior changes, there are limited data regarding whether genetic counseling can facilitate change in life-style and health behaviors that can result in improved health outcomes. Methods: To explore this issue, we conducted semi-structured interviews with eight patients who had lived experience of psychiatric illness, and who had received psychiatric genetic counseling (PGC). Using interpretive description, we used a constant comparative approach to data analysis. Results: Participants talked about how, prior to PGC, they held misconceptions and/or uncertainties about the causes of and protective behaviors associated with mental illness, which caused feelings of guilt, shame, fear and hopeless. Participants reported that PGC reframed things in a way that provided them a sense of agency over illness management, allowed a greater acceptance of illness, and provided release from some of the negative emotions associated with their initial framing of their illness, which seemed to be related to the self-reported increase in engagement in illness management behaviors and consequent improved mental health outcomes. Conclusion: This exploratory study provides data to support that through addressing emotions associated with perceived cause of illness and facilitating understanding of etiology and risk-reducing strategies, PGC may lead to an increase in behaviors, which protect mental health.

引言：尽管学界已达成共识，遗传信息不会直接引发行为改变，但目前针对遗传咨询能否促进生活方式与健康行为改变、进而改善健康结局的相关研究数据仍较为匮乏。
研究方法：为探究这一问题，本研究对8名有精神疾病患病史且接受过精神疾病遗传咨询（Psychiatric Genetic Counseling，PGC）的患者开展半结构化访谈。研究采用解释性描述法，通过持续比较法完成数据分析。
研究结果：参与者提及，在接受精神疾病遗传咨询前，他们对精神疾病的致病原因及相关防护行为存在误解或认知模糊，由此产生了愧疚、羞耻、恐惧与绝望等负面情绪。参与者反馈称，精神疾病遗传咨询以全新视角重构了他们对疾病的认知，使其获得了疾病管理的自主掌控感，提升了对疾病的接纳程度，并帮助他们摆脱了因初始疾病认知偏差所引发的部分负面情绪。这一变化似乎与参与者自述的疾病管理行为参与度提升及后续心理健康状况改善密切相关。
研究结论：本探索性研究的数据表明，通过梳理与疾病感知成因相关的情绪，并增进对疾病病因及风险规避策略的理解，精神疾病遗传咨询或可促使个体采取更多保护心理健康的行为。