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Responding to Patient Cues: Advanced Empathy and Confrontation Skills

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Facilitating the Genetic Counseling Process

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Abstract

Advanced empathy and confrontation are advanced genetic counseling skills involving the formulation of hypotheses and use of interventions regarding patient dynamics and underlying issues that may affect genetic counseling processes and outcomes. This chapter defines advanced empathy and confrontation and describes their functions in genetic counseling; differentiates advanced empathy and confrontation from primary empathy; describes strategies for effectively communicating advanced empathy and confrontation; and identifies examples of patient themes (e.g., patient affect, attitudes, and defense patterns) appropriate for the use of these skills. The chapter also identifies common challenges in using advanced empathy and confrontation and discusses cultural considerations. Several activities and written exercises provide students with opportunities to build their advanced empathy and confrontation skills through self-reflection, practice, and feedback.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Adapted from: McHenry and McHenry (2015).

  2. 2.

    Adapted from: Slendokova (2005) and from research by Siemińska et al. (2002) involving an intervention to develop sensitivity to healthcare patients.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    Patricia McCarthy Veach Ph.D., L.P.

  2. Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    Bonnie S. LeRoy M.S., C.G.C., L.G.C.

  3. Genetic Counseling Program, University of North Carolina, Greensboro, NC, USA

    Nancy P. Callanan M.S., C.G.C.

Authors
  1. Patricia McCarthy Veach Ph.D., L.P.
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  2. Bonnie S. LeRoy M.S., C.G.C., L.G.C.
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  3. Nancy P. Callanan M.S., C.G.C.
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McCarthy Veach, P., LeRoy, B.S., Callanan, N.P. (2018). Responding to Patient Cues: Advanced Empathy and Confrontation Skills. In: Facilitating the Genetic Counseling Process. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74799-6_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74799-6_8

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-74798-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-74799-6

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