Wilhelm et al

Ethical Considerations

- can be stigmatizing and affect people's abilities to get jobs/insurance

- privacy/confidentiality protected by coding information (only a few researchers have access) or anonymizing (but this can limit the ability to do follow up studies)

- aims and procedure outlined

- informed consent

- undue stress or harm

Wilhelm et al (2009) - AIM

to determine the effect of genetic testing for the 5-HTT gene which is believed to play a role in depression

Wilhelm et al (2009) - METHOD

- followed up by asking participants to fill out questionnaires about benefits/limitations of genetic testing

- benefits: early intervention, potential to prevent onset, help to avoid stressors

- limitations: insurance discrimination, employer discrimination, people with the gene feel more stressed/depressed

Wilhelm et al (2009) - RESULTS

- more positive than negative

- participants with two short alleles had higher levels of distress when compared to other participants

Wilhelm et al (2009) - ADVANTAGES/DISADVANTAGES

- mean age of 50 so those who had not suffered from depression had little chance of developing it

- highly educated sample

- agreed to do testing in the first place

- not possible to know the effect of those who did not agree

- better if it was a prospective study

- could lead to self-fulfilling prophecy

- important that participants do not believe in genetic determinism (destiny)