Making Sense of a Positive Genetic Test Result for Huntington Disease

Huntington Disease (HD) is a progressive neurological condition, eventually leading to death. Presymptomatic, predictive genetic testing can inform individuals of their genetic status. A positive genetic test result can be a threatening event. In adapting to threatening events people often try and find meaning in the experience. Meaning making refers to the attempt to understand an event or experience and its significance in the context of one's life. The search for meaning can eventually lead to acceptance of an event or experience, and is considered an important component of adaptation. Although it has been established that testing for HD can be a significantly stressful event, and that meaning making is a frequent response towards adaptation, little is known about this process among individuals faced with a positive genetic test result for HD. This study will describe meaning making in a population of presymptomatic individuals with a positive genetic test result for HD. Semi-structured interviews will be conducted, recorded, transcribed, and analyzed. A typology of common themes will be compiled and reported. Data gathered from these interviews will improve understanding of the phenomenon of meaning making in this population, and will contribute to the existing literature on the role of meaning making in cognitive adaptation. This study will specifically help gain insight into the process of meaning making among individuals who have tested positive for HD, and may potentially inform the ways in which health care professionals can help facilitate meaning-making among this population, in their process of adaptation to a stressful live event.