Multi-Item Scale:
Item Text:
…that you are socially isolated? (3) [... dass Sie sozial isoliert sind? (3)]
Different Answer Format Tested:
Nein
Findings:
What do the test persons understand by “being socially isolated”?
When the test persons were asked what they understood by "being socially isolated", two things immediately stood out. While on the one hand, with one exception, all those who had answered this item with "very rarely" or "rarely" stated what they understood by the opposite, i.e., by "not being socially isolated", those who had selected one of the other answer categories or had not stated anything explained the social isolation in question. On the other hand, this was only the case for the Arabic-speaking test persons. Without exception, the Dari-speakers stated what they understood by "being socially isolated", regardless of the answer category selected.
The Arabic-speaking test persons understood social isolation to mean having little or no contact with other people, be it family, friends, acquaintances, etc. (SY02, SY05, IR01), feeling lonely (SY02, IR04), withdrawing socially (SY01, IR06), and wanting to be alone (IR06). In addition, the lack of ability to interact with others or to build relationships with others (SY01, IR04, IR06) and the feeling of being in between the Arab and German cultures and not being able to connect to either the Arab or German cultures (IR02) were also mentioned. On the contrary ("not being socially isolated"), the Arabic-speaking test persons indicated sociability (SY04, SY06, IR03), having and maintaining contacts with other people, be it family, friends, acquaintances (SY03, IR05), and meeting new people (SY06, IR03).
A further difference of a content-related nature was noted between the two language versions. While the focus of the Arabic-speaking test persons was on the pure fact of (lack of) contact with fellow human beings, the responses of the Dari-speaking test persons were on the emotional level and on their own active behavior. Accordingly, the test persons from Afghanistan understood social isolation to mean withdrawing socially (DA04, DA05), distancing oneself (DA03), not communicating with others (DA05), not making contact with unknown people (DA02), building a protective wall (DA01), not belonging to a social environment (DA04, DA05), not being noticed (DA04) and feeling left alone by society (DA06). Test person DA02 also stated that she understood this to mean not being able to afford many things if she did not have enough money.
However, the aforementioned differences did not lead to a "false" understanding of the term "being socially isolated".
When the test persons were asked what they understood by "being socially isolated", two things immediately stood out. While on the one hand, with one exception, all those who had answered this item with "very rarely" or "rarely" stated what they understood by the opposite, i.e., by "not being socially isolated", those who had selected one of the other answer categories or had not stated anything explained the social isolation in question. On the other hand, this was only the case for the Arabic-speaking test persons. Without exception, the Dari-speakers stated what they understood by "being socially isolated", regardless of the answer category selected.
The Arabic-speaking test persons understood social isolation to mean having little or no contact with other people, be it family, friends, acquaintances, etc. (SY02, SY05, IR01), feeling lonely (SY02, IR04), withdrawing socially (SY01, IR06), and wanting to be alone (IR06). In addition, the lack of ability to interact with others or to build relationships with others (SY01, IR04, IR06) and the feeling of being in between the Arab and German cultures and not being able to connect to either the Arab or German cultures (IR02) were also mentioned. On the contrary ("not being socially isolated"), the Arabic-speaking test persons indicated sociability (SY04, SY06, IR03), having and maintaining contacts with other people, be it family, friends, acquaintances (SY03, IR05), and meeting new people (SY06, IR03).
A further difference of a content-related nature was noted between the two language versions. While the focus of the Arabic-speaking test persons was on the pure fact of (lack of) contact with fellow human beings, the responses of the Dari-speaking test persons were on the emotional level and on their own active behavior. Accordingly, the test persons from Afghanistan understood social isolation to mean withdrawing socially (DA04, DA05), distancing oneself (DA03), not communicating with others (DA05), not making contact with unknown people (DA02), building a protective wall (DA01), not belonging to a social environment (DA04, DA05), not being noticed (DA04) and feeling left alone by society (DA06). Test person DA02 also stated that she understood this to mean not being able to afford many things if she did not have enough money.
However, the aforementioned differences did not lead to a "false" understanding of the term "being socially isolated".
Recommendations:
The translated item is understood to mean that the respondent actively withdraws. We recommend checking whether there are translations into Arabic and Dari that are to be understood more strongly in such a way that (also) the external circumstances cause a feeling of isolation.