Multi-Item Scale:
Item Text:
…with your living situation in general? (4) [mit Ihrer Wohnsituation im Allgemeinen? (4)]
Different Answer Format Tested:
Nein
Findings:
What do the test persons understand by the word “living situation”?
Among the Arabic-speaking test persons, there was no difference between the countries of origin Syria or Iraq in their understanding of the term “living situation”. On the one hand, the term was understood as the living constellation, i.e., with whom one lives (alone, in a shared apartment or with one's family) and the number of persons in the household (SY01, SY04, SY06, IR05). On the other hand, this includes things like whether one lives in an apartment or a house (SY05, IR03), the size (SY01, IR02) and the cut of the apartment (SY02), the furnishings (IR01) and the rent (SY06). The place of residence (SY03, IR01, IR04), neighbors, living environment and neighborhood (SY03, SY05, SY06, IR02) were also included in "housing situation". In addition, two test persons also linked the term to emotional matters, namely to whether one has an apartment in which one feels comfortable and to which one can retreat (SY02, IR02).
The Dari-speaking test persons from Afghanistan, on the other hand, referred to their entire living situation when using the term "living situation" without exception and did not limit themselves to their housing situation. The housing-related things mentioned by the test persons from Afghanistan were living in an apartment or a house (DA04), living in a city (DA06), having water (DA04), and having a home (DA02), for example. In addition, many different living situation-related aspects were listed: One's own health as well as that of one's family (DA05), one's financial situation (DA05), having a job (DA03, DA06), coping with the demands in life (DA03, DA04), having friends (DA06), the status of one's asylum application (DA02), living in Germany as a refugee (DA05), the support you get from the city (DA04), the society you live in (DA06), the opportunities there are in Germany (to get educated, to study, to put your children in kindergarten) (DA04), living in safety (DA04) and peace (DA05).
Among the Arabic-speaking test persons, there was no difference between the countries of origin Syria or Iraq in their understanding of the term “living situation”. On the one hand, the term was understood as the living constellation, i.e., with whom one lives (alone, in a shared apartment or with one's family) and the number of persons in the household (SY01, SY04, SY06, IR05). On the other hand, this includes things like whether one lives in an apartment or a house (SY05, IR03), the size (SY01, IR02) and the cut of the apartment (SY02), the furnishings (IR01) and the rent (SY06). The place of residence (SY03, IR01, IR04), neighbors, living environment and neighborhood (SY03, SY05, SY06, IR02) were also included in "housing situation". In addition, two test persons also linked the term to emotional matters, namely to whether one has an apartment in which one feels comfortable and to which one can retreat (SY02, IR02).
The Dari-speaking test persons from Afghanistan, on the other hand, referred to their entire living situation when using the term "living situation" without exception and did not limit themselves to their housing situation. The housing-related things mentioned by the test persons from Afghanistan were living in an apartment or a house (DA04), living in a city (DA06), having water (DA04), and having a home (DA02), for example. In addition, many different living situation-related aspects were listed: One's own health as well as that of one's family (DA05), one's financial situation (DA05), having a job (DA03, DA06), coping with the demands in life (DA03, DA04), having friends (DA06), the status of one's asylum application (DA02), living in Germany as a refugee (DA05), the support you get from the city (DA04), the society you live in (DA06), the opportunities there are in Germany (to get educated, to study, to put your children in kindergarten) (DA04), living in safety (DA04) and peace (DA05).
Recommendations:
Since no Dari-speaking test person had (exclusively) thought of her living situation for this item, we recommend that translation experts be consulted once again for the Dari-language formulation. If necessary, an explanation could be added, differing from the Arabic translation or the original German formulation, in order to clarify the context.