Cognitive Insight in Psychosis: Understanding Self-Certainty and Self-Reflection
Author Information
Author(s): Michael A. Cooke, Emmanuelle R. Peters, Dominic Fannon, Ingrid Aasen, Elizabeth Kuipers, Veena Kumari
Primary Institution: Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London
Hypothesis
Cognitive insight will be associated with a wide range of neuropsychological functions, particularly measures of executive function.
Conclusion
Greater self-certainty is modestly associated with poorer executive function in individuals with psychosis, while self-reflection shows no association.
Supporting Evidence
- Self-certainty scores were significantly associated with lower executive function scores.
- Self-reflection showed no significant relationships with neuropsychological measures.
- Participants were on stable doses of antipsychotic medication for at least 3 months.
Takeaway
This study found that people with schizophrenia who are very sure of their beliefs tend to have more trouble with thinking skills, while those who reflect on their thoughts don't show the same issues.
Methodology
Participants were assessed on various neuropsychological tests and completed the Beck Cognitive Insight Scale to measure self-certainty and self-reflection.
Potential Biases
Self-report measures may introduce bias, particularly in patients with cognitive impairments.
Limitations
The study is cross-sectional, limiting causal inferences, and relies on self-report measures which may not be suitable for cognitively impaired patients.
Participant Demographics
65 outpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, mean age 38.9 years, 46 men and 19 women.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.003
Statistical Significance
p<0.003
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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