Causal attributions for illness among Turkish psychiatric out-patients and differences between diagnostic groups

Causal attributions of 152 Turkish non-psychotic psychiatric out-patients for the development of their psychological problems were examined by using a 31-item attributions for psychological problems questionnaire (APP). The factor analysis of the responses to the APP yielded seven factors, which were: attributions to conflicts within the family of origin and with the present family, attributions to personal-characterological and behavioural attributes, work problems, interpersonal conflicts and bad luck. Examination of the causal attributions of patients from three DSM-III-R diagnostic groups revealed no significant differences between diagnostic groups. The highest attributional scores were for conflicts with the present family and personal-characterological attributes.