title: The role of knowledge and motivation in symptom identification accuracy among schizophrenic patients: application of signal detection theory.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Many people with schizophrenia have poor awareness of their symptoms, a problem that may result from lack of knowledge about their illness and/or unwillingness to acknowledge it. The present study assessed the joint influence of lack of knowledge and motivated denial in schizophrenic patients' low symptom awareness.
  
  
  METHODS
  Schizophrenic patients (N = 85) and normal control participants (N = 35) identified psychotic symptoms and general stress symptoms in a symptom checklist. The signal detection theory was applied to assess levels of sensitivity (which would be knowledge-mediated) and judgment biases (which would probably be motivated).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with normal control participants, schizophrenic patients had lower sensitivity and greater aversion to classify a symptom as a psychotic symptom.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that both lack of knowledge and motivated denial are involved in schizophrenic patients' low symptom awareness.
authors.affiliation: University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. agathaws@graduate.hku.hk
authors.forename: Agatha W S
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Chi-Yue
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: Jessica W Y
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Mok
authors.forename: Josephine G W S
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Eric Y H
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001364:Awareness; D003717:Denial, Psychological; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012016:Reference Values; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012803:Sick Role; D017603:Signal Detection, Psychological