[Etiology of schizophrenia from the viewpoint of the patient].
OBJECTIVE
According to a quantitative study on causal beliefs patients with functional psychoses favour psychosocial over biological explanations. They also tend to endorse a multicausal concept. The aim of this study is to try to replicate these findings using semiqualitative methods.


METHODS
Problem-centered interviews were conducted with 78 schizophrenic patients consecutively discharged from inpatient or dayhospital treatment.


RESULTS
As in the previous study, patients provided more frequently psychosocial explanations. Biological causes were relatively rarely mentioned--mostly in response to suggestions of the interviewer. In addition, they were rather brief and not very elaborated. By contrast to the previous study, hardly any indications for a multicausal concept could be observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients' beliefs are contrasted with the results of psychiatric research on the causes of schizophrenia.
Holzinger
A
A
Klinik und Poliklinik für Psychiatrie, Universität Leipzig.
Müller
P
P
Priebe
S
S
Angermeyer
M C
MC
D000328:Adult; D015984:Causality; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D012106:Research; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000209:etiology*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012803:Sick Role