Genetic counselors may be faced with situations in which they disagree on a moral level with the views or decisions of their clients. These moral value conflicts between counselors and their clients may have negative emotional consequences for counselors. Little is known about the range of sources of these conflicts, the approaches counselors take to address them, or the impact they have on the counselor's life and career. This study seeks to gain insight into the nature, sources, and consequences of moral value conflicts among genetic counselors through semi-structured in-depth interviews with approximately 30 genetic counselors. Interview questions will be nested within interviews for a larger study entitled "Moral Distress and Suffering of Genetics Professionals". The discussion will be centered on a personal experience of moral value conflict that the counselor has had with a client. Interviews will be transcribed and subjected to thematic analysis. Such analysis will result in the identification of common themes running through the interviews. An understanding of value conflicts may allow for future interventions to minimize the negative effects of these events.
