[Between environmental pollution and will of God: concepts regarding illness of Turkish and German girls].
The objective is to investigate whether there are differences between German girls and Turkish girls who have grown up in Germany regarding control attribution (locus of control) in general and control and causal attribution with regard to illness. 26 German and 39 Turkish girls between 14 and 16 years were interviewed concerning control attribution, using the Locus-of-Control-Scale (LOC) in the modified version of Schepker (1995) and the KKG (Test zu Kontrollüberzeugungen zu Krankheit und Gesundheit, Lohaus u. Schmitt 1989); concerning causes of illness, using open formulated questions and question cards. In the general score on the LOC-Scale the Turkish girls attributed significantly more externally than the German girls. No significant difference could be found in the area of control attribution with regards to health and illness with the KKG. In the interview with open formulated questions only a few differences were found. Significant differences were found when the girls were asked about individual causes of illness with the question cards and the possibility to rate them: German girls estimated causes in the area of "environment/weather/air" as significantly more important (median: German 4.5 vs. Turkish 3), while Turkish girls emphasized "supernatural powers" (median: German 1 vs. Turkish 4). In comparison only one girl mentioned the area of "supernatural power" in the open interview as a cause. In studies and in clinical interviews, causes in the areas of "supernatural powers" and "environment/weather/air" should be specifically mentioned; and the possibility to rate possible causes also seems to be advisable.
Schreiber
Monika
M
Erich Saling-Institut für Perinatale Medizin e.V., Berlin. schreiber.monika@web.de
Lenz
Klaus
K
Lehmkuhl
Ulrike
U
D000293:Adolescent; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015984:Causality; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D004194:Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D004787:Environmental Pollution; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D014421:Turkey / Q000208:ethnology
Zwischen Umweltverschmutzung und Gottes Wille: Krankheitskonzepte türkeistämmiger und deutscher Mädchen.