Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 13, 2026

A Strategy to Identify de Novo Mutations in Common Disorders such as Autism and Schizophrenia
Published on: June 15, 2011
Doing the right thing for one's children: deciding whether to take the genetic test for Huntington's disease as a
J A Smith1, M Stephenson, C Jacobs
1Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck University of London, London, UK. ja.smith@bbk.ac.uk
Abstract:
This is a qualitative examination of candidates' decision-making in relation to the genetic test for Huntington's disease. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine participants who were asked about factors influencing their decision whether to take up predictive genetic testing. Transcripts of interviews were subjected to interpretative phenomenological analysis to elicit emergent themes. A key factor for participants was to do the right thing for their children. Interestingly, this factor presents a moral dilemma to participants and can direct them either towards or away from testing. This article offers a detailed examination of how participants think through this dilemma.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Ethical Dilemmas I
Let us explore some examples to understand the potentially complex moral decisions nurses face.
Take the case of caring for minors, particularly in areas related to reproductive...
Ethical Dilemmas II
Kohlberg's Theory of Moral Development
Pre-Conventional Level
At the pre-conventional level, morality is primarily driven by personal consequences. In Stage...
Ethics and Bioethics
Huntington Disease l: Introduction
Human Genetics
The complex relationship between genetics and psychology is observable through common biological components such...

