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Assessing Stakeholder Perceptions of the Utility of Genetic Information for the Clinical Care of Mental Health Disorders: We Have a Will but Need to See the Way

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Abstract

Academic stakeholders’ (primarily mental health researchers and clinicians) practices and attitudes related to the translation of genetic information into mental health care were assessed. A three-part survey was administered at two large, urban universities. Response frequencies were calculated. Participants (N = 64) reported moderate levels of translational practice, adequate levels of genetic knowledge, and variable levels of genetic competence. They held positive attitudes toward translating genetic information about mental health broadly but negative attitudes about the impact that such information would have on specific aspects of care. The current study lays the groundwork for further inquiry into translating genetic information to mental health care.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the input of the then-graduate students who helped with the development of this survey, including the now-Drs. Elizabeth Do, Sage Hawn, Dana Lapato, Elizabeth Long, Ashlee Moore, Cassie Overstreet, and Jeanne Savage. We would also like to thank Dr. Brad Verhulst for his help administering the survey to his colleagues at Michigan State University.

Funding

JLB was formerly supported by the National Institute of Mental Health training grant T32MH020030 to complete the survey. She was supported by National Institute on Drug Abuse Grant T32DA015035 to complete revisions of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Brown School of Social Work and Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in ST. Louis, 4560 Clayton Avenue, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA

    Jessica L. Bourdon

  2. Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, 800 E. Leigh Street, Biotech One, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA

    John M. Hettema

  3. Department of Psychiatry, Texas A&M College of Medicine, 8447 Riverside Parkway, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA

    John M. Hettema

  4. Division of Epidemiology, Department of Family Medicine and Population Health, Virginia Commonwealth University, 830 E. Main Street, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA

    Elizabeth C. Prom-Wormley

  5. Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, 806 West Franklin Street, Richmond, VA, 23284, USA

    Michael A. Southam-Gerow

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  1. Jessica L. Bourdon
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Correspondence to Jessica L. Bourdon.

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Jessica L. Bourdon, John M. Hettema, Elizabeth C. Prom-Wormley, and Michael A. Southam-Gerow declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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The authors followed all ethical guidelines when conducting research related to this study.

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All procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2000.

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Informed consent was not necessary for this study because it was declared exempt. Participation in the study was voluntary.

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Bourdon, J.L., Hettema, J.M., Prom-Wormley, E.C. et al. Assessing Stakeholder Perceptions of the Utility of Genetic Information for the Clinical Care of Mental Health Disorders: We Have a Will but Need to See the Way. Adm Policy Ment Health 48, 363–376 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-020-01058-7

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