Psychological Impact of Parental Genetic Testing on Adolescent Girls

The genetic locus, BRCA1, confers a significantly increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer. This pilot project will survey the knowledge, belief, and risk perceptions regarding breast and ovarian cancer of forty adolescent female children of adults undergoing DNA analysis for BRCA1. In addition, their emotional, behavioral, academic and social functioning will be assessed and compared to a matched control group. These subjects will be recruited from a large kindred (K2082) that has been extensively studied at the University of Utah and found to have markers on chromosome 17q tightly linked to the BRCA1 gene. Parents will be undergoing DNA testing for BRCA1 in a parallel study as their non-tested daughters are being evaluated. Genetic counseling will be provided to each adolescent prior to the DNA analysis of the parent. A follow up evaluation will be done 6 months after the parents are notified of their gene status. The findings of this preliminary project will lead to the generation of specific hypotheses to be tested in an intervention study designed to remediate the identified unmet needs in this potentially vulnerable population. (Member of CGSC)