Not Parent Expected (NPE)

I learnt a new acronym recently. NPE, or Not Parent Expected. This is the term used when people using DNA testing sites, for example AncestryDNA and 23andme, learn that their mother is not their mother, or their father isn’t their father, or even that they have siblings they didn’t know about.

For thousands of individuals this comes as a huge shock, rocking their world, their sense of identity. Finding out that your parent is not who you thought they were can be traumatic, lead to anger, confusion, grief, and impact family relationships.

Of course, for thousands of other people DNA testing is seen as a fun thing to do, discovering more about their ethnicity, characteristics or finding a long-lost cousin. But be aware that it can have serious and unforeseen consequences.

Counselling, and other helping professions, can help NPE individuals to process their feelings, as they navigate their new world, to rebuild their identity, sense of self.

Social media has responded with peer support groups such as Not Parent Expected (NPE) Friends Fellowship: NPE Friends Fellowship | Awareness · Community · Education

There is a helpful article from Psychology Today: How DNA Ancestry Tests Can Turn Your World Upside-Down | Psychology Today

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