Dr. Harris’s research focuses on optimizing clinician-parent communication during prenatal diagnosis of complex congenital heart disease (cCHD). She previously conducted a longitudinal qualitative study to understand parental experiences after prenatal cCHD diagnosis. This study investigates the communication that occurs between fetal cardiology clinicians and parents at the time of diagnosis through qualitative analysis of observational data and through systematic literature review, utilizing a mixed-methods approach of concept mapping, focus groups, and survey development and administration to understand parental preferences around communication during pregnancy and how fetal cardiology clinicians think about and demonstrate empathic communication in this context. Findings from this research will inform the development of the first clinician-focused intervention to improve parental coping after prenatal cCHD diagnosis.
(Funder: CHP Scholars Program, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.)