Although genealogical DNA tests can be sold as a harmless and exciting way for people to learn more about their heritage than their ancestors, a Canadian researcher says there should be more support for those who get unexpected results that have the potential to disrupt family relationships. raising issues of paternity and infidelity.
Robert Whitley, an associate professor of psychiatry at McGill University, studies the psychosocial experiences of Canadians who receive surprising news from DNA origin tests, particularly “no parent expectations” events, when someone suspected of being a parent of an individual is not actually the biological mother or father.
“You’re meeting a family you didn’t know existed, and that can be very psychologically devastating and a huge stress for mental health and family harmony,” he told CTVNews.ca in a telephone interview Friday.
Whitley says this is a more common scenario than one might think.
“Estimates of incorrectly attributed paternity are about two percent of the population, so this affects one in every 50 people who may receive this very shocking news. he explained.
Whitley said many people are doing genealogical DNA tests – such as those offered by companies including 23andMe and AncestryDNA – to gain a better understanding of their heritage. However, the test results connect users with anyone who is found to be biologically related to them.
He noted that some people welcome this, excited by the prospect of meeting distant, third or fourth cousins, but others may learn that their parent is not actually biologically related to them, which Whitley says could affect their mental health in the long run. plan.
“They’re completely unprepared for this because the people they meet are people who didn’t know about them until now, and that creates a huge psychological shock,” Whitley said.
He noted that this may be due to factors such as parental infidelity, adoption or sperm donation – all unexpected news that have the potential to break someone’s identity.
“As a result, and from what we’ve learned so far, many people feel trapped in a boat in the ocean when faced with a situation because psychologists and therapists don’t have evidence-based practices that can help people,” Whitley said. .
This rupture in everyday life is called biographical confusion. Whitley said this is known as interrupting stories that people keep to understand themselves and the trajectory of their lives. Other examples may include divorce or job loss.
“It can completely affect your self-esteem, it can affect the harmony of your family relationships, it can lead to huge existential questions and doubts about who you are and where you have been in life and where you are going in life. Whitley explained.
With his research, funded by the nonprofit GenomeCanada, Whitley says his team is looking to better understand the experiences of those who receive shocking news from DNA tests in terms of mental health. He says the data will be used to create new resources to help those who may face this situation in the future.
“One of the goals of the study is really to find out what problems people are facing, how they react as a result and what they are doing to try to help themselves on their path to recovery,” he said.
For the study, Whitey wants to interview about 50 people by the end of this year and then in 2023 use the findings to help create targeted therapies and resources. Those who have received surprising news about their parenting from a genealogical DNA test and want to be part of the study can email Whitley directly to robert.whitley@mcgill.ca.
SAFETY MEASURES AND REGULATIONS IN THE INDUSTRY
Whitley said there are currently no specific guidelines for psychologists and therapists on how to help with events not expected from parents, which he said is worrying as the popularity of DNA testing grows and more counselors are facing such cases.
According to data from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), published in 2019, more than 26 million people have done a genealogical DNA test.
“We know that some people have been to psychologists [or] psychiatrists have just received the kind of generic treatments that some people receive when they have problems, “Whitley said.
He said those affected had also said little help from DNA testing companies in these situations, and said companies needed to be more transparent and proactive about the risks involved.
AncestryDNA told CTVNews.ca in an e-mail statement Friday that it takes responsibility for its customers and the potential impact of “complex findings” from its “very serious” test.
“We have a small, dedicated group of experienced representatives who talk to customers with more sensitive inquiries,” a company spokesman said in an email.
He also offers a warning about unexpected online test results in his privacy statement.
“You may find unexpected facts about yourself or your family when you use our services,” the Ancestry privacy statement said. “Once discoveries have been made, we cannot undo them.”
A 23andMe spokesman told CTVNews.ca in an e-mail statement Friday that there were “various measures” to prepare customers for unexpected information, and also gave them a choice as to whether they wanted to know it.
“First, we prepare clients with all the necessary information in advance and inform them that taking the test can lead to unexpected and sometimes life-changing results,” the spokesman said. “We specifically state that you may find things like ‘your father is not genetically your father.'”
23andMe said the feature related to biological matching through testing is not mandatory on its website, but not all companies offer it. In addition, 23andMe said it has a customer service team that is “specifically trained” to help those who find unexpected family members.
However, Whitley would like to see more standardization of mental health support in Canada to help those who receive unexpected DNA test results, as well as targeted therapy specific to this group.
“This raises a lot of problems for a lot of people and no one is really talking about it in public.” those issues, “Whitley said.
Whitley said he hoped his research would raise awareness that although DNA testing is touted as an “exciting detection process,” there is a risk.
“The risk is that you may learn information that is potentially shocking and could turn your world upside down,” he said. “It could be positive news, you could learn that you have a family relationship you didn’t know about and that they are great people … or it could be news that you were really badly prepared for, so … keep up the good content. Caution.”
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