Genetic testing for susceptibility to major depressive disorder: a review of the behavioural repercussions of disclosing test results.

Predictive genetic testing for major depressive disorder (MDD) has become a widespread technological advancement to aid the process of early diagnosis and treatment selection. Despite these tests' growing accessibility to the public, scant attention has been given to the behavioural changes that test-takers experience in response to undergoing the procedure and learning about their predisposition to MDD. The current paper aimed to be the first literature review to compile and evaluate the existing evidence demonstrating both the desirable and potentially harmful psychological responses following these tests. Studies portray a complicated picture, including desirable changes in the domains of felt stigma, lifestyle habits, and beliefs in treatment efficacy; as well as noteworthy deteriorations in perceived agency, fatalistic thoughts, and negativity bias in retrospective memory. In light of these findings, our review concludes that clear psychoeducation before testing is crucial to ensure that behavioural changes are predominantly beneficial for test-takers.