A review of the psychosocial effects of false-positive results on parents and current communication practices in newborn screening.
As more states adopt expanded newborn screening for metabolic disorders, the overall number of false positives increases. False-positive screening results have been associated with increased anxiety and stress in parents of infants who require follow-up testing, even after the infant's good health is confirmed. This article reviews the literature on the negative impact of false-positive newborn screening results on parents, along with a review of current communication practices for follow-up screening. The results of this review suggest that parental stress and anxiety can be reduced with improved education and communication to parents, specifically at the time of follow-up screening. Communication strategies with sample materials are proposed.
Hewlett
J
J
Division of Genetics, Children's Hospital Boston, Massachusetts, USA. jenny.hewlett@chidrens.harvard.edu
Waisbren
S E
SE
D001007:Anxiety; D003142:Communication; D016206:Databases, Bibliographic; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005192:Family Health; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008659:Metabolic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015997:Neonatal Screening / Q000379:methods*; D010290:Parents; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology*