[Subjective view of the cause of illness among patients with a psychotic disorder].
OBJECTIVE
The importance of causal attribution for Turkish and German patients with a psychotic disorder for the diagnostic process was examined.


METHODS
Within a controlled clinical study Turkish and German patients were interviewed regarding their concepts of cause of illness.


RESULTS
There was no difference between the two groups - in both around half the patients gave a response categorized under "psychosocial stress", while in both groups only about one fourth gave culture specific responses, with no difference even when looking at potentially misdiagnosed cases.


CONCLUSIONS
Culture specific causal attributions for psychotic disorders do not seem to be as important as the literature implies. Nonetheless in securities in diagnostics and treatment make it necessary to acquire a better understanding of these views.
Haasen
Christian
C
Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie des UKE, Hamburg. haasen@uke.uni-hamburg.de
Blätter
Andrea
A
Yagdiran
Oktay
O
Reimer
Jens
J
D000328:Adult; D015984:Causality; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012803:Sick Role; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D014421:Turkey / Q000208:ethnology