[Referral to a clinical-genetic center for genetic counseling in mental disorders].

OBJECTIVE

Evaluation of the genetic counselling for psychiatric disorders in a clinical genetic service.

DESIGN

Retrospective.

SETTING

Clinical Genetic Service Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

METHOD: Evaluation of the psychiatric genetic counselling during the period 1985-1992 (n = 49).

RESULTS

Psychiatric disorders were the indication for genetic counselling in 1%. A minority of the consultants were referred by the psychiatrist. The most common question was the risk of future children becoming affected by a psychiatric disorder already present in the family. The male-female ratio was about one for the whole group of consultants. Affected relatives were significantly more frequent in the woman's family than in the man's. The average number of affected individuals in a family was 3.6.

CONCLUSION

Genetic counselling for psychiatric disorders in a clinical genetic service is requested infrequently considering the frequency of these problems. This may be related to a lack of need for information and counselling in potential consultants or to adequate information by treating physicians, but also to insufficient recognition by general practitioners and psychiatrists of questions patients and their family have.