Volume 25, Issue 3
Etiological Attribution and Illness Course in Mexican Patients with Psychosis
Abstract
This study aimed to: 1) identify the etiological attribution of illness in patients with psychosis and 2) analyze differences in attribution according to illness course (relapses, residual symptoms, diagnosis). Etiological attribution was measured with the scale developed by Angermeyer and Klusmann, and illness course was established from clinical records and SCID-I interviews. Society factors were mostly addressed as a cause of psychosis and significantly higher than Biology and Family factors; Esoteric factors scored significantly lower than all other categories. Individuals who had not relapsed scored higher in their attribution of illness to Esoteric causes; individuals experiencing residual symptoms showed higher attribution of illness to Personality factors. Relevance of these results in regard to provision of services and outcome is discussed.
Keywords
Psychosis, schizophrenia, illness attribution, illness perception, Mexican