Training to Provide Psychiatric Genetic Counseling: How Does It Impact Recent Graduates' and Current Students' Readiness to Provide Genetic Counseling for Individuals with Psychiatric Illness and Attitudes towards this Population?

Mental illness is extremely common and genetic counselors frequently see patients with mental illness. Genetic counselors report discomfort in providing psychiatric genetic counseling (GC), suggesting the need to look critically at training for psychiatric GC. This study aimed to investigate psychiatric GC training and its impact on perceived preparedness to provide psychiatric GC (preparedness). Current students and recent graduates were invited to complete an anonymous survey evaluating psychiatric GC training and outcomes. Bivariate correlations (p<.10) identified variables for inclusion in a logistic regression model to predict preparedness. Data were checked for assumptions underlying logistic regression. The logistic regression model for the 286 respondents [χ2(8)=84.87, p<.001] explained between 37.1% (Cox & Snell R2=.371) and 49.7% (Nagelkerke R2=.497) of the variance in preparedness scores. More frequent psychiatric GC instruction (OR=5.13), more active methods for practicing risk assessment (OR=4.43), and education on providing resources for mental illness (OR=4.99) made uniquely significant contributions to the model (p<.001). Responses to open-ended questions revealed interest in further psychiatric GC training, particularly enabling "hands on" experience. This exploratory study suggests that enriching GC training through more frequent psychiatric GC instruction and more active opportunities to practice psychiatric GC skills will support students in feeling more prepared to provide psychiatric GC after graduation.