Psychological Resilience and Meaning-Making After Prenatal Detection of Genetic Syndromes

Author First name, Last name, Institution

• Dimitra V. Katsarou, University of the Aegean
• Evangelos Mantsos, University of Western Macedonia
• Kalliopi Megari, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
• Maria Sofologi, University of Ioannina
• Georgios Kougioumtzis, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
• Effie Efthymiou, Zayed University, Abu Dhabi Campus
• Miltiadis Karvounis, Hellenic Open University
• Ilias Vasileiou, ICPS College

Document Type

Book Chapter

Source of Publication

Health Psychology in Practice Exploring Behavior Meaning and Resilience

Publication Date

7-29-2026

Abstract

Receiving a prenatal diagnosis of a genetic syndrome creates a profound psychological and existential crisis for expectant mothers, prompting a deep need for meaning-making and identity reconstruction, a process this study explored qualitatively through interviews with 10 mothers diagnosed with Trisomy 21, 13, or 18. The findings established four major themes: the initial Disruption and Diagnosis, marked by shock, grief, and guilt; Meaning-Making through spiritual reframing and symbolic rituals; the Reconfiguring Maternal Identity around advocacy, resilience, and unconditional love, which reflects post-traumatic growth; and the role of Social Support and Silences, where compassionate care offered resilience, while judgment and directive pressure exacerbated isolation. Ultimately, a prenatal diagnosis acts as a developmental inflection point whose outcomes are heavily shaped by risk and protective factors in psychological, cultural, and relational systems, underscoring the necessity of providing narrative-informed, trauma-sensitive, and culturally competent care.

DOI Link

10.4018/979-8-3373-6294-6.ch005

ISBN

[9798337362946, 9798337362960]

Publisher

IGI Global Scientific Publishing

First Page

97

Last Page

116

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences

Keywords

Cognitive reframing (0.7) | Psychology (0.63) | Developmental psychology (0.51) | Distressing (0.45) | Identity (music) (0.41) | Psychological resilience (0.41) | Thematic analysis (0.37) | Grief (0.37) | Mental illness (0.35) | Existentialism (0.34) | Social psychology (0.32) | Clinical psychology (0.31) | Fatalism (0.3) | Personal identity (0.29) | Social support (0.29) | Meaning (existential) (0.29) | Mental health (0.29) | Interpersonal communication (0.28) | Psychological intervention (0.28) | Directive (0.27) | Preference (0.26) | Vulnerability (computing) (0.26) | Qualitative research (0.25)

Scopus ID

105048069576

Recommended Citation

Katsarou, Dimitra V.; Mantsos, Evangelos; Megari, Kalliopi; Sofologi, Maria; Kougioumtzis, Georgios; Efthymiou, Effie; Karvounis, Miltiadis; and Vasileiou, Ilias, "Psychological Resilience and Meaning-Making After Prenatal Detection of Genetic Syndromes" (2026). All Works. 8310.
https://zuscholars.zu.ac.ae/works/8310

Indexed in Scopus

yes

Open Access

no