Psychological aspects of genetic counseling: analysis of a transcript

A transcript of a genetic counseling session is presented and discussed by 2 separate readers. The style of counseling emphasized content material at the expense of process. The counselor avoided or evaded affective issues and thus limited his ability to clarify the current attitudes and beliefs of the counselees as well as to identify their future needs. However, one empathic intervention did have an important impact on changing the tone of the session. The issues of directiveness and neutrality were examined in light of the process of the session. The counselor appeared to be largely nondirective in his advice-giving and ostensibly neutral in his educational approach. Nevertheless, his overall counseling strategy seemed to be aimed at persuading the counselees to agree to have the amniocentesis procedure. The need for more information on what actually occurs in the course of genetic counseling is underscored.