Efficacy of and patient preference for three counseling formats

Three methods of conveying genetics-related information to parents with children who have isolated cleft lip and palate (CL/P) were evaluated for efficacy and patient preference. The methods were slide-tape, group counseling, and individual (or parental couple) counseling formats. Sixty-one subjects were assigned at random to one of the three formats and then quizzed about their pre- and postcounseling knowledge and attitudes on CL/P. Long-term retention of information was measured by administering a third quiz 6 months after the initial counseling session. Comparisons of the mean scores for the three formats within each questionnaire revealed no significant differences among them. Based on this study, the following conclusions were drawn: Genetic counseling significantly improves one's knowledge base about CL/P; no counseling method is detectably better or worse than the others in conveying genetic information to counselees; group or audiovisual counseling is accepted by counselees as well as or better than individual counseling; the audiovisual format presents the same information as a counselor in half the time; and genetic counseling for CL/P is an underprovided service by San Antonio's CL/P treatment teams.