{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,1]],"date-time":"2026-07-01T01:48:36Z","timestamp":1782870516361,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"Springer Science and Business Media LLC","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,12]],"date-time":"2026-06-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1781222400000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,12]],"date-time":"2026-06-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1781222400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["link.springer.com"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["J Community Genet"],"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>\n                    Empathy, the ability to understand and communicate another\u2019s experience to them, positively affects genetic counseling processes and outcomes. Genetic counseling, a specialty healthcare profession, provides education and support for those impacted by genetic disease; thus, empathy is critical. Limited studies have explored patients\u2019 perceptions of genetic counselor (GC) empathy responses. This study investigated the types of GC responses proxy patients perceived as most empathic and why. Female MTurk workers (\n                    <jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\n                    \u2009=\u2009198) completed a survey containing two hypothetical genetic counseling scenarios (Fabry disease; postnatal diagnosis of cleft lip and palate) that ended with a patient statement followed by five different GC responses. Participants were asked to identify the GC response that best conveyed empathy and explain their choice. Every GC response was selected by at least one participant. Inductive content analysis of participants\u2019 rationales yielded six categories:\n                    <jats:italic>Understanding<\/jats:italic>\n                    ,\n                    <jats:italic>Problem Solving<\/jats:italic>\n                    ,\n                    <jats:italic>Sympathizing<\/jats:italic>\n                    ,\n                    <jats:italic>Focusing on the Patient<\/jats:italic>\n                    ,\n                    <jats:italic>Validating<\/jats:italic>\n                    , and\n                    <jats:italic>Miscellaneous. Understanding<\/jats:italic>\n                    was the most prevalent rationale for both scenarios (~\u200950% each). While GC responses containing the words \u201cI\u2019m sorry\u2026\u201d were chosen most often for both scenarios (~\u200945% each),\n                    <jats:italic>Sympathizing<\/jats:italic>\n                    was the rationale for only\u2009~\u200920% of these GC responses. Logistic regression analyses showed significant predictors varied across scenarios and between rationales, with few significant demographic predictors. Participants differed in preferences for empathy statements and rationales, signaling context and tailoring are important when considering empathy. Patient demographics are not recommended in predicting the type of GC patients may find empathic. Ongoing assessment of patients\u2019 feelings and needs (empathic resonance) will allow genetic counselors to tailor their empathy communication (expressed empathy) accordingly.\n                  <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1007\/s12687-026-00909-4","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,12]],"date-time":"2026-06-12T03:47:55Z","timestamp":1781236075000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Proxy patients\u2019 perceptions of genetic counselor empathy responses"],"prefix":"10.1007","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Jennine","family":"Bouchard","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0896-1952","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ian","family":"MacFarlane","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5563-8541","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Patricia McCarthy","family":"Veach","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Janice A","family":"Baker","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9051-1693","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Krista","family":"Redlinger-Grosse","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"909_CR1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bachelor A, Freedheim DK (1988) How clients perceive therapist empathy: a content analysis of received empathy. Psychother Theory Res Pract Train 25(2):227\u2013240","DOI":"10.1037\/h0085337"},{"issue":"2","key":"909_CR2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"91","DOI":"10.1037\/0022-0167.28.2.91","volume":"28","author":"GT Barrett-Lennard","year":"1981","unstructured":"Barrett-Lennard GT (1981) The Empathy Cycle: Refinement of a Nuclear Concept. J Couns Psychol 28(2):91\u2013100","journal-title":"J Couns Psychol"},{"key":"909_CR3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Batson CD (2009) These things called empathy: eight related but Distinct Phenomena. The Social Neuroscience of Empathy. The MIT Press","DOI":"10.7551\/mitpress\/9780262012973.003.0002"},{"issue":"2","key":"909_CR4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"123","DOI":"10.1207\/s15327027hc1802_2","volume":"18","author":"C Bylund","year":"2005","unstructured":"Bylund C, Makoul G (2005) Examining Empathy in Medical Encounters: An Observational Study Using the Empathic Communication Coding System. Health Commun 18(2):123\u2013140","journal-title":"Health Commun"},{"issue":"2","key":"909_CR5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"290","DOI":"10.1086\/228746","volume":"93","author":"C Clark","year":"1987","unstructured":"Clark C (1987) Sympathy Biography and Sympathy Margin. Am J Sociol 93(2):290\u2013321","journal-title":"Am J Sociol"},{"issue":"2","key":"909_CR6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"95","DOI":"10.17744\/mehc.32.2.228n116thw397504","volume":"32","author":"A Clark","year":"2010","unstructured":"Clark A (2010) Empathy and Sympathy: Therapeutic Distinctions in Counseling. J Mental Health Couns 32(2):95\u2013101","journal-title":"J Mental Health Couns"},{"key":"909_CR7","volume-title":"Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences","author":"J Cohen","year":"1988","unstructured":"Cohen J (1988) Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences, 2nd edn. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Hillsdale, NJ","edition":"2"},{"key":"909_CR8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Danish SJ, D\u2019Augelli AR, Brock GW (1976) An evaluation of helping skills training: effects on helpers\u2019 verbal responses. J Couns Psychol 259\u2013266","DOI":"10.1037\/0022-0167.23.3.259"},{"key":"909_CR9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"243","DOI":"10.1023\/A:1023284219871","volume":"12","author":"V Duric","year":"2003","unstructured":"Duric V, Butow P, Sharpe L, Lobb E, Meiser B, Barratt A, Tucker K (2003) Reducing psychological distress in a genetic counseling consultation for breast cancer. J Genet Couns 12:243\u2013264","journal-title":"J Genet Couns"},{"issue":"7","key":"909_CR11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"667675","DOI":"10.1080\/10410236.2011.561921","volume":"26","author":"L Ellington","year":"2011","unstructured":"Ellington L, Kelly K, Reblin M, Latimer S, Roter D (2011) Communication in Genetic Counseling: Cognitive and Emotional Processing. Health Commun 26(7):667675","journal-title":"Health Commun"},{"issue":"4","key":"909_CR12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"399","DOI":"10.1037\/pst0000175","volume":"55","author":"R Elliott","year":"2018","unstructured":"Elliott R, Bohart A, Watson J, Murphy D, Hilsenroth MJ, Norcross JC, Lambert MJ (2018) Therapist Empathy and Client Outcome: An Updated MetaAnalysis. Psychotherapy 55(4):399\u2013410","journal-title":"Psychotherapy"},{"issue":"1","key":"909_CR13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"55","DOI":"10.1007\/s10897-009-9263-7","volume":"19","author":"T Gale","year":"2010","unstructured":"Gale T, Pasalodos-Sanchez S, Kerzin-Storrar L, Hall G, MacLeod R (2010) Explaining Mendelian inheritance in genetic consultations: an IPR study of counselor and counselee experiences. J Genet Couns 19(1):55\u201367","journal-title":"J Genet Couns"},{"key":"909_CR14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"528","DOI":"10.1007\/s10897-008-9179-7","volume":"17","author":"AL Gibas","year":"2008","unstructured":"Gibas AL, Klatt R, Johnson J, Clarke JTR, Katz J (2008) Disease rarity, carrier status, and gender: A triple disadvantage for women with Fabry disease. J Genet Couns 17:528\u2013537","journal-title":"J Genet Couns"},{"key":"909_CR15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/978-1-4615-9658-5","volume-title":"Empathy and Counseling: Explorations in Theory and Research","author":"GA Gladstein","year":"1987","unstructured":"Gladstein GA (1987) Empathy and Counseling: Explorations in Theory and Research. Springer, New York. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/978-1-4615-9658-5"},{"issue":"1","key":"909_CR17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"196","DOI":"10.1093\/jcr\/ucx047","volume":"44","author":"JK Goodman","year":"2017","unstructured":"Goodman JK, Paolacci G (2017) Crowdsourcing consumer research. J Consum Res 44(1):196\u2013210","journal-title":"J Consum Res"},{"issue":"3","key":"909_CR16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"213","DOI":"10.1002\/bdm.1753","volume":"26","author":"JK Goodman","year":"2013","unstructured":"Goodman JK, Cryder CE, Cheema A (2013) Data collection in a flat world: The strengths and weaknesses of mechanical Turk samples. J Behav Decis Mak 26(3):213\u2013224","journal-title":"J Behav Decis Mak"},{"issue":"6","key":"909_CR18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"894","DOI":"10.1002\/jgc4.1190","volume":"29","author":"V Greve","year":"2019","unstructured":"Greve V, Veach PM, LeRoy BS, MacFarlane IM, Redlinger-Grosse K (2019) Genetic counselor and proxy patient perceptions of genetic counselor responses to prenatal patient self-disclosure requests: Skillfulness is in the eye of the beholder. Journal Genetic Counseling 29(6):894\u2013909","journal-title":"Journal Genetic Counseling"},{"issue":"7","key":"909_CR19","first-page":"545","volume":"60","author":"R Jarski","year":"1985","unstructured":"Jarski R, Gjerde C, Bratton B, Brown D, Matthes S (1985) A comparison of four empathy instruments in simulated patient-medical student interactions. J Med Educ 60(7):545\u2013551","journal-title":"J Med Educ"},{"key":"909_CR21","unstructured":"Kao JH (2010) Walking in your patient\u2018s shoes: an investigation of genetic counselor empathy in clinical practice. Retrieved from the University of Minnesota Digital Conservancy. http:\/\/hdl.handle.net\/11299\/96724"},{"issue":"6","key":"909_CR20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1598","DOI":"10.1002\/jgc4.1426","volume":"30","author":"I Kashmola-Perez","year":"2021","unstructured":"Kashmola-Perez I, McCarthy Veach P, Schema L, Redlinger\u2010Grosse K (2021) Genetic counselor use of self\u2010involving responses in a clinical setting: A qualitative investigation. J Genet Couns 30(6):1598\u20131612","journal-title":"J Genet Couns"},{"issue":"3","key":"909_CR22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"237","DOI":"10.1177\/0163278704267037","volume":"27","author":"S Kim","year":"2004","unstructured":"Kim S, Kaplowitz S, Johnston M (2004) The Effects of Physician Empathy on Patient Satisfaction and Compliance. Eval Health Prof 27(3):237\u2013251","journal-title":"Eval Health Prof"},{"key":"909_CR24","volume-title":"Applied linear and statistical models","author":"MH Kunter","year":"2005","unstructured":"Kunter MH, Nachtsheim CJ, Neter J, Li W (2005) Applied linear and statistical models, 5th edn. McGraw-Hill, Singapore","edition":"5"},{"issue":"3","key":"909_CR23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"317","DOI":"10.1046\/j.1365-2648.2001.01848.x","volume":"35","author":"D Kunyk","year":"2001","unstructured":"Kunyk D, Olson J (2001) Clarification of conceptualizations of empathy. J Adv Nurs 35(3):317\u2013325","journal-title":"J Adv Nurs"},{"issue":"6","key":"909_CR25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"713","DOI":"10.1007\/s10897-007-9113-4","volume":"16","author":"P McCarthy Veach","year":"2007","unstructured":"McCarthy Veach P, Bartels M, LeRoy D (2007) Coming Full Circle: A Reciprocal Engagement Model of Genetic Counseling Practice. J Genet Couns 16(6):713\u2013728","journal-title":"J Genet Couns"},{"key":"909_CR26","volume-title":"Facilitating the genetic counseling process: Practice-based skills (Second edition)","author":"P McCarthy Veach","year":"2019","unstructured":"McCarthy Veach P, LeRoy BS, Callanan NP (2019) Facilitating the genetic counseling process: Practice-based skills (Second edition). Springer, New York"},{"key":"909_CR27","unstructured":"Meredith M, Peterson A, Redlinger-Grosse K, MacFarlane IM (2025) Proxy patients\u2019 perspectives on how genetic counselors\u2019 nonverbal behavior impacts perceptions of empathy and effectiveness. National Society of Genetic Counseling Annual Education Conference."},{"key":"909_CR41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Nusbaum R, Grubs RE, Losee JE, Weidman C, Ford MD, Marazita ML (2008) A qualitative description of receiving a diagnosis of clefting in the prenatal or postnatal period. J Genet Couns 17:336-350","DOI":"10.1007\/s10897-008-9152-5"},{"issue":"3","key":"909_CR28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"184","DOI":"10.1177\/0963721414531598","volume":"23","author":"G Paolacci","year":"2014","unstructured":"Paolacci G, Chandler J (2014) Inside the Turk: Understanding Mechanical Turk as a Participant Pool. Curr Dir Psychol Sci 23(3):184\u2013188","journal-title":"Curr Dir Psychol Sci"},{"key":"909_CR31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"77","DOI":"10.1007\/s10897-005-9014-3","volume":"15","author":"R Resta","year":"2006","unstructured":"Resta R, Biesecker BB, Bennett RL, Blum S, Hahn ES, Strecker MN, Williams JL (2006) A new definition of genetic counseling: national society of genetic counselors\u2019 task force report. J Genet Couns 15:77\u201383","journal-title":"J Genet Couns"},{"key":"909_CR34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"209","DOI":"10.1002\/ajmg.c.30094","volume":"142C","author":"D Roter","year":"2006","unstructured":"Roter D, Ellington L, Erby LH, Larson S, Dudley W (2006) The Genetic Counseling Video Project (GCVP): models of practice. Am J Med Genet CSem Med Genet 142C:209\u2013220. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/ajmg.c.30094","journal-title":"Am J Med Genet CSem Med Genet"},{"key":"909_CR30","volume-title":"R: A language and environment for statistical computing","author":"R Core Development Team","year":"2019","unstructured":"R Core Development Team (2019) R: A language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria. https:\/\/www.R-project.org\/"},{"key":"909_CR36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e0288881","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0288881","volume":"18","author":"C Tomozawa","year":"2023","unstructured":"Tomozawa C, Kaneko M, Sasaki M, Miyake H (2023) Clients\u2019 and genetic counselors\u2019 perceptions of empathy in Japan: a pilot study of simulated consultations of genetic counseling. PLoS ONE 18:e0288881","journal-title":"PLoS ONE"},{"key":"909_CR37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e1920","DOI":"10.1002\/jgc4.1920","volume":"34","author":"C Tomozawa","year":"2025","unstructured":"Tomozawa C, Kaneko M, Sasaki M, Miyake H (2025) Clients\u2019 experiences of empathy in genetic counseling for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer: a qualitative study in Japan. J Genet Couns 34: e1920","journal-title":"J Genet Couns"},{"key":"909_CR38","first-page":"111","volume":"23","author":"DF Vears","year":"2022","unstructured":"Vears DF, Gillam L (2022) Inductive content analysis. A guide for beginning qualitative researchers. Focus Health Prof Education: Multi-Professional J 23:111\u2013112","journal-title":"Focus Health Prof Education: Multi-Professional J"},{"key":"909_CR40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1388","DOI":"10.1007\/s11606-021-07008-9","volume":"37","author":"Q Wu","year":"2022","unstructured":"Wu Q, Jin Z, Wang P (2022) The relationship between the physician-patient relationship, physician empathy, and patient trust. J Gen Intern Med 37:1388\u20131393","journal-title":"J Gen Intern Med"}],"container-title":["Journal of Community Genetics"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/content\/pdf\/10.1007\/s12687-026-00909-4.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/s12687-026-00909-4","content-type":"text\/html","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/content\/pdf\/10.1007\/s12687-026-00909-4.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,1]],"date-time":"2026-07-01T01:12:34Z","timestamp":1782868354000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/10.1007\/s12687-026-00909-4"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,12]]},"references-count":35,"journal-issue":{"issue":"3","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,6]]}},"alternative-id":["909"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s12687-026-00909-4","relation":{},"ISSN":["1868-6001"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1868-6001","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,12]]},"assertion":[{"value":"28 January 2026","order":1,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"3 June 2026","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"12 June 2026","order":3,"name":"first_online","label":"First Online","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"order":1,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Declarations"}},{"value":"This study was reviewed by the University of Minnesota Single Institutional Review Board and deemed to be exempt (STUDY0007520). All procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2000. Informed consent was obtained from all patients for being included in the study.","order":2,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Ethics approval"}},{"value":"The authors declare no competing interests.","order":3,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Competing interests"}}],"article-number":"74"}}