[Psychopathology in Ethiopian Jewish immigrants]

Abstract

In 87 of 352 adult Ethiopian Jews living in Natanya who immigrated recently, psychopathological symptoms were evaluated and their relationships to conditions of immigration and absorption were determined. They were interviewed by Ethiopians who had immigrated previously and who had been trained to help them complete questionnaires at home. The subjects were rated by the interviewers according to the Physician's Outpatient Psychopathology Scale (211-O.P.S.), as well as by 3 other self-rating scales with regard to satisfaction with their life in Israel, events that had occurred while en route to Israel, and frequency of visits to their clinic family physician. The results showed a high incidence of psychopathological symptoms which had persisted even after 5 years in Israel. The main causes of dissatisfaction (found in more than 60% of the sample), in order of severity were: achievement in learning Hebrew, financial situation, attitude of the Israeli religious institutions towards the Ethiopian community, and the degree of nonobservance of religious customs by other Israeli Jews. There was a high degree of correlation between psychopathological symptoms and suffering on the journey to Israel, with the symptoms usually becoming less severe with length of stay in Israel. A high incidence of symptoms was also related to increased age and to low levels of education. Those living in apartments dispersed among the general population suffered less from psychopathological symptoms than those living in buildings largely occupied by other Ethiopian immigrants.