Impact of Genetic Counseling for Individuals With Mental Illness

Schizophrenia Clinical Trial

Official title:

Genetic Counseling for Individuals With Mental Illness: Impact on Knowledge, Risk Perception, Perceived Control and Internalized Stigma.

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT00713804
• Other study ID #: H07-02427
• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 3
• First received: July 7, 2008
• Last updated: July 11, 2012
• Start date: July 2008
• Est. completion date: November 2011

Study information

• Verified date: July 2012
• Source: University of British Columbia
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: Canada: Health Canada
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

People who have experienced mental illnesses like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or schizoaffective disorder often have a poor understanding of the causes of their illness, and that they are often very worried about how the illness affects their families. In particular, affected individuals worry that there is a high chance that any children that they have will become affected with the same illness. Often, because of this fear, affected individuals choose not to have children.

Genetic counseling is a process where information about the causes of illnesses, and about chances for family members of individuals with these illnesses to become similarly affected is provided in a supportive environment by a specially trained healthcare professional. This study will investigate whether genetic counseling can reduce perceptions of risk and stigma, and increase perceived control and knowledge about the causes of the illness, amongst individuals who have a major mental illness.

Description:

We will recruit 120 individuals who have a personal history of a major psychiatric disorder (as defined above). Each participant will be randomized into one of 3 groups of approximately equal size: one of which will receive genetic counseling within 1 month after enrollment (GC), another will receive the educational brochure within 1 month (EB), and the last will be assigned to waitlist (WT). After randomization (but prior to intervention for GC and EB groups, and within 1 month after enrollment for the WT group) we will gather baseline information regarding the 4 outcome measures (perceived risk and control, stigma, and knowledge). We will re-assess the 4 outcome measures immediately post-intervention for GC and EB groups. A further follow-up (for all groups) will be conducted two months after enrollment (which is 1 month post intervention for GC and EB groups).

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 120
• Est. completion date: November 2011
• Est. primary completion date: June 2011
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: Both
• Age group: 19 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Fluent in English

• Have been diagnosed with schizophrenia, bipolar, or schizoaffective disorder

• Reside in BC, and be able to attend 3 study visits over 1.5 months

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment, Masking: Single Blind (Subject)

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Bipolar Disorder
• Disease
• Mental Disorders
• Psychotic Disorders
• Schizoaffective Disorder
• Schizophrenia

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Genetic Counseling
One face-to-face genetic counseling session of 1-2hours duration, with a board certified or board eligible genetic counselor which will involve, documentation of a detailed family history, discussion of: the contributors to mental illness pathogenesis, illness risk reduction strategies, chances for family members to develop mental illness (if required), supportive counseling around living with illness/risk of illness/managing illness vulnerability, and referral to support organizations as required.
• Educational Booklet
One educational booklet that provides information about the causes of mental illnesses, and the chances for relatives of affected individuals to develop mental illness will be provided to participants.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Canada	Centre for Complex Disorders, BC Mental Health and Addictions Research Institute	Vancouver	British Columbia

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University of British Columbia

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Canada, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Knowledge, risk perception, stigma, perceived control		immediately post intervention and 1 month post intervention	No