title: Tolerance for uncertainty and perceived risk among women receiving uninformative BRCA1/2 test results.
abstract: Women who receive uninformative BRCA1/2 genetic test results face ongoing uncertainty about their future cancer risks. This article prospectively examined the influence of intolerance for uncertainty and perceived breast cancer risk on psychological distress following the receipt of uninformative BRCA1/2 test results. Sixty-four women who received uninformative BRCA1/2 mutation test results completed measures of Intolerance for Uncertainty, perceived breast cancer risk, and measures of cancer-related, genetic testing, and general distress. Cancer-related (DeltaR(2) = 0.18, P < or = 0.001), general (DeltaR(2) = 0.04, P < or = 0.05), and genetic testing distress (DeltaR(2) = 0.12, P < or = 0.01) were associated with intolerance for uncertainty at 1 month post-disclosure. The interaction of intolerance for uncertainty and breast cancer perceived risk predicted cancer-related (DeltaR(2) = 0.10, P < or = 0.001) and genetic testing distress (DeltaR(2) = 0.09, P < or = 0.01) at 6 months post-disclosure. Distress was highest among patients with highest perceived risk and intolerance for uncertainty, suggesting that those who have difficulty coping with their ambiguous risk are at risk for long-term distress. The clinical and research implications of these results are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA. oneills@main.nih.gov
authors.forename: Suzanne C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: O'Neill
authors.forename: Tiffani
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: DeMarco
authors.forename: Beth N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Peshkin
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rispoli
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Heiddis
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Valdimarsdottir
authors.forename: Marc D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Schwartz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019313:BRCA1 Protein / Q000235:genetics*; D024682:BRCA2 Protein / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D005820:Genetic Testing / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010465:Perception; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology; D035501:Uncertainty
chemical_list: D019313:BRCA1 Protein; D024682:BRCA2 Protein