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Abstract
The development of a questionnaire designed to assess causal beliefs held by clients for the onset of their psychiatric disorders is described. A range of possible causes was elicited from clients, clinical staff and members of the public. These were arranged in a questionnaire form and administered to a sample of psychiatric clients who were asked to express their beliefs regarding the causes of their own disorders. Factor analysis yielded 4 factors reflecting "Psychosocial", "Biological", "Structural" and "Stress" beliefs. The efficacy of this questionnaire as a tool for understanding the causal beliefs held by clients and other family members is considered.