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Updated: Nov 11, 2025

Author Spotlight: Advancements in iPSCs and Genetic Disease Research
Published on: October 20, 2023
Genetic literacy and psychological adaptation in adolescents with genetic diseases
Javiera Ortega1, Natalia Vázquez2, Claudia Arberas3
1Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas CONICET. Centro de Investigación de Psicología y Psicopedagogía (CIPP)-Facultad de Psicología y Psicopedagogía, Universidad Católica Argentina. javiera_ortega@uca.edu.ar.
Introduction:
Living with a genetic condition is complex and may be limiting for the adolescent. This situation is considered a stress factor and risk factor for the mental health of both the patient and his family. Objective: To study the levels of psychological adaptation and genetic literacy in adolescents with genetic diseases residing in Argentina.
Methods:
Correlational and quantitative design and cross sectional scope. The protocol consisted of an informed consent, a sociodemographic data questionnaire, and the Genetic Health Literacy Screening Tool (REAL G) and Psychological Adaptation Scale (PAS) instruments. The sampling was intentional and composed by 68 cases.
Results:
The REAL G indicated low levels of genetic literacy in all its components (decoding, familiarity, comprehension, arithmetic). Regarding psychological adaptation, an M = 4.02 (SD = 0.8) was found for the general scale and high scores for all the dimensions.
Conclusion:
Adolescents diagnosed with genetic diseases in Argentina have a good level of psychological adaptation to their disease, despite having low levels of genetic literacy.
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