Wisdom-related attitudes in psychosomatic patients and in a convenience sample

Abstract

Wisdom can be understood as a complex capacity to solve unsolvable problems. Wise persons are better in coping with difficult life situations. People with mental disorders often have problems coping with difficult life situations. This study examines whether a convenience sample from the general population and psychosomatic rehabilitation patients (dis)agree similarly or differently with global sentences representing wisdom-related attitudes. A total of 209 persons from a convenience sample (lecture visitors, M = 32 years of age) and 207 patients with mental disorders (M = 49 years of age) were given a short case vignette of a seemingly unjust situation. They were then asked to which degree they agree to different wisdom-related attitudes (12-WD Scale) regarding the example situation. Results: Patients judged the situation as more unjust, and they identified more strongly with the victim. There were no differences between the two groups concerning agreement to the wisdom ideas, except that the convenience sample was more likely to agree with the wisdom idea change of perspective. This finding of similar wisdom attitudes in patients and others is a validity support for wisdom being a capacity, which may be independent from psychopathology. Wisdom trainings for health promotion potentially do not need to distinguish between patients and general population persons. As the scale asks for wisdom-related attitudes for problem solving, it may be the case that coping with concrete situations (i.e. wise behavior) would be different.

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