Table 1.

Dimensions of the Family Systems Model

Model Characteristics	Application to Cancer	Application to Genetic Risk
Features of the Illness	Type of cancer	Type of genetic risk
	Mode of onset	Likelihood of developing disease
	Phase of life cycle at cancer diagnosis	Phase of life cycle at receipt of test results
	Availability of therapy	Availability of preventive or therapeutic options
	Course and severity of disease	Expected severity of disease
Time Phases of Illness	Awareness of symptoms	Awareness of familial risk
	Diagnostic work up	Information seeking
	Diagnosis	Testing decision
	Treatment decision	Adoption of screening, preventive options
	Treatment phase	Active surveillance
	Adaptation to chronic phase	Adaptation to genetic risk phase
	Terminal phase	Outcome(s) of genetic risk
Family System Variables	Coping with cancer skills	Coping with genetic risk skills
	Patterns of communication about cancer	Patterns of communication about genetic risk
	Caregiving skills	Family support structures
	Family experience with cancer	Family experience with genetic risk
	Quality of relationships	Quality of relationships
	Adoption of new family roles	Adoption of new risk identity
	Family values and beliefs about cancer	Family values and beliefs about genetics