title: Insight in psychosis: influence of cognitive ability and self-esteem.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Insight in psychosis has previously been associated with both depression and cognitive ability. Some studies have found a curvilinear relationship between insight and cognitive ability, but the roles of self-esteem and depression have not been taken into account.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the relationships between insight and IQ, depression, and self-esteem.
  
  
  METHODS
  Correlations between self-reported and observer-rated insight, and measures of IQ, depression and self-esteem were examined in 67 people with psychosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Better self-reported insight was associated with higher IQ and poorer self-esteem, but not depression. There was some evidence for a curvilinear relationship between IQ and self-reported insight, specifically the ;awareness of illness' dimension, which survived correction for symptom variables.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The relationship between insight and IQ might reflect both the basis of insight in intellectual ability and the influence of a psychological mechanism that preserves self-esteem.
authors.affiliation: King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Psychology (PO77), 16 De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AF, UK.
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Cooke
authors.forename: Emmanuelle R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: Kathryn E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Greenwood
authors.forename: Peter L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: Veena
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kumari
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kuipers
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001364:Awareness; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D012649:Self Concept; D012803:Sick Role; D013223:Statistics as Topic