Training, Practice, and Collaboration: New Opportunities for Pediatric Psychology and Genomic Medicine

Abstract

The Human Genome Project has led to the beginning of the era of personalized medicine. The path to personalized medical care, however, is an uneven one, as the genetic underpinnings of some diseases will lead more quickly than others to clinical translation, affecting clinical practice. There is not universal consensus, especially in pediatric research contexts, about how or when information should be shared or protected (Patenaude, Senecal, & Avard, 2006). Nor is there consensus in specific cases about when genetic testing can ethically benefit children and when children should be protected from potentially discriminatory or upsetting introduction of genetic knowledge. This complicates the training of pediatric psychologists who wish to work in areas where genetics plays an important role or where it will soon play such a role. We will review the genetics competencies which are recommended for all clinical professionals, will discuss the guidelines which pertain particularly to pediatric practice, and will consider the particular dilemmas which genetic information gives rise to. We will refer to what has been learned from the past decade of research into adult hereditary cancer syndromes and highlight how these data can and cannot be translated into practice involving children. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved)