Causal Attribution and Illness Perception: A Cross-Sectional Study in Mexican Patients with Psychosis

Table 1

Causes of illness (Angermeyer and Klusmann Scale) as identified by patients ( = 62).

	(Very) likely	Scores (1–4)
	(%)	Means (SDs)
Biology		10.4 (3.5)
Disturbance of brain biochemistry	32 (51.7)	2.47 (1.29)
Hereditary factors	24 (38.7)	2.23 (1.27)
Birth trauma	10 (16.2)	1.55 (0.95)
Brain injury	9 (14.6)	1.53 (0.94)
Organic disease external to brain	6 (9.7)	1.42 (0.76)
Infectious brain disease	4 (6.4)	1.19 (0.65)
Personality		11.9 (3.7)
Avoidance of everyday life problems	27 (43.6)	2.34 (1.16)
Failure in life	26 (41.9)	2.32 (1.18)
Lack of willpower	25 (40.4)	2.18 (1.18)
Too bright or intelligent	17 (27.4)	1.76 (1.10)
Too ambitious	14 (22.6)	1.71 (1.09)
Drug/alcohol abuse	12 (19.4)	1.60 (1.08)
Family		11.1 (4.5)
Broken home	21 (33.9)	2.00 (1.13)
Lack of parental love	19 (30.6)	2.03 (1.15)
Parent attitude hostile-rejecting	19 (30.6)	1.92 (1.16)
Father too severe	18 (29.0)	1.81 (1.13)
Overprotective mother	16 (25.8)	1.76 (1.14)
Parental expectations too high	9 (14.6)	1.53 (0.90)
Society		12.7 (4.1)
Stressful life events	35 (56.5)	2.60 (1.25)
Constant strain in school/job	29 (46.8)	2.35 (1.20)
Troubles in marriage/partnership	24 (38.7)	2.06 (1.28)
Society	23 (37.1)	2.02 (1.18)
Loneliness	20 (32.3)	2.00 (1.23)
Influence of bad friends	14 (22.6)	1.71 (1.06)
Esoteric		8.8 (3.1)
Possession by evil spirits	17 (27.5)	1.84 (1.22)
Lack of vitamins	14 (22.6)	1.77 (1.05)
Punishment by God	8 (12.9)	1.40 (0.91)
Unfavorable horoscope	6 (9.7)	1.29 (0.82)
Radiation	4 (6.4)	1.24 (0.62)
Environmental pollution	3 (4.8)	1.23 (0.53)

Note. Answers to each item were scored: () not a cause, () possible cause, () likely cause, and () very likely cause.