Tolerance for uncertainty and perceived risk among women receiving uninformative BRCA1/2 test results

Women who receive uninformative BRCA1/2 genetic test results face ongoing uncertainty about their future cancer risks. This article prospectively examined the influence of intolerance for uncertainty and perceived breast cancer risk on psychological distress following the receipt of uninformative BR...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of medical genetics. Part C, Seminars in medical genetics Seminars in medical genetics, 2006-11, Vol.142C (4), p.251-259
Main Authors: O'Neill, Suzanne C., DeMarco, Tiffani, Peshkin, Beth N., Rogers, Sarah, Rispoli, Jessica, Brown, Karen, Valdimarsdottir, Heiddis, Schwartz, Marc D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
BRCA1 Protein - genetics
BRCA1/2
BRCA2 Protein - genetics
distress
Female
Genetic Predisposition to Disease - psychology
Genetic Testing - psychology
Humans
Middle Aged
Multivariate Analysis
Perception
Prospective Studies
Risk Assessment
Stress, Psychological - epidemiology
Uncertainty
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Summary:Women who receive uninformative BRCA1/2 genetic test results face ongoing uncertainty about their future cancer risks. This article prospectively examined the influence of intolerance for uncertainty and perceived breast cancer risk on psychological distress following the receipt of uninformative BRCA1/2 test results. Sixty‐four women who received uninformative BRCA1/2 mutation test results completed measures of Intolerance for Uncertainty, perceived breast cancer risk, and measures of cancer‐related, genetic testing, and general distress. Cancer‐related (ΔR2 = 0.18, P ≤ 0.001), general (ΔR2 = 0.04, P ≤ 0.05), and genetic testing distress (ΔR2 = 0.12, P ≤ 0.01) were associated with intolerance for uncertainty at 1 month post‐disclosure. The interaction of intolerance for uncertainty and breast cancer perceived risk predicted cancer‐related (ΔR2 = 0.10, P ≤ 0.001) and genetic testing distress (ΔR2 = 0.09, P ≤ 0.01) at 6 months post‐disclosure. Distress was highest among patients with highest perceived risk and intolerance for uncertainty, suggesting that those who have difficulty coping with their ambiguous risk are at risk for long‐term distress. The clinical and research implications of these results are discussed. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
ISSN:1552-4868
1552-4876
DOI:10.1002/ajmg.c.30104