[Coping with illness by chronically ill adolescents and young adults--an empirical study].

From June 1990 to January 1991 86 chronically ill adolescents and young adults who had come to the vocational assessment unit of the rehabilitation center or for vocational guidance to the rehabilitation hospital, both in Neckargemünd/Germany, were examined with regard to their coping with their illnesses. The Freiburg questionnaire for coping with illness was applied, and the Trait-instruction was given because persons with inborn disabilities were part of the sample. Also, the type of illness or disability and motorial handicap as well as the non-verbal intelligence were included. The results of three different medical diagnosis groups don't show any differences in the coping with illness. Persons with motorial handicaps are able to cope with their disabilities as well as persons without motorial handicaps. Adolescents and young adults with inborn or early acquired illness/handicap show a greater loss of confidence in the medical doctors than persons who were taken ill at the age of 6 or later.