Above all else, predictive genetic testing provides information. Gaining insight into the psychosocial effects of this information is a primary goal of genetic counseling. For individuals utilizing predictive genetic testing, the acquisition of genetic information requires choices regarding disclosure within the family. This study uses a phenomenological methodology to explore the contrasting choices of two sets of HD parents regarding the disclosure of genetic risk status to their children. Additionally, the children (now adults) discuss their lived experience growing up with contrasting disclosure dynamics, and their current views regarding the use of predictive genetic testing for themselves. The primary finding of this study is that all of the adult children now express preference for early disclosure of genetic risk and an open/supportive communication style regarding HD. This finding has value for clinicians working with HD families who must make decisions regarding disclosure issues related to predictive genetic testing.
In 2011, the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia contracted with the National Center for State Courts to conduct a comprehensive, statewide evaluation of adult drug courts. The results provide evidence of the effectiveness and cost-efficiency of Virginia's adult treatment drug courts. When compared to the business-as-usual alternative, drug courts saved taxpayers an average of $20,000 per participant. Further, programs employing Moral Reconation Therapy (MRT) produced significantly lower probabilities of recidivism, and those that employed written sanction guidelines reported significantly higher odds of graduation for participants with no prior felonies than programs that did not.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.