Clinical Correlates of Insight in Schizophrenia

Abstract

111 schizophrenic patients diagnosed in accordance with DSM–III were rated on Landmark's symptom checklist, on demographic variables, and on variables descriptive of the course of illness. Of the 111 patients, 108 (97.3%) showed poor insight into their illness at some time in the past and 65 (58.6%) at the time of assessment. Those presently showing poor insight were significantly (Pearson rs, p < .01, 2-tailed) more frequently rated as currently displaying poor judgement also in other matters ( r = .50), as showing social withdrawal ( r = .42) and poor rapport ( r = .33), and as being preoccupied with their delusions or hallucinations ( r = .31) and as being unreliable informants ( r = .41). They usually had lower education ( r = .33), their income in the last taxation year was lower ( r = .47), and their work functioning was less adequate ( r = .30).