[Insight into illness: an overview of the concept focusing on schizophrenia].
OBJECTIVE
Insight into illness is key to successful treatment. Poor insight, especially in schizophrenia, is, however, quite a frequent phenomenon that is also associated with poor adherence to treatment and a variety of unfavorable outcome parameters. On that background, the concept of insight into illness has gained new reseach interest during the last 10 years. The present review aims to report new findings regarding conceptual changes of insight, findings on the etiology, contributing factors as well as the assessment and methods to develop insight.


METHODS
Based on a review of the literature, results from more recent studies on insight into illness will be presented.


RESULTS
Insight into illness is a complex, multidimensional, strongly culturally embedded phenomenon that is influenced by a variety of factors. The etiology of insight still remains poorly understood but is likely to be multifactorial including psychological, neuropsychological and organic reasons.


CONCLUSIONS
Further research is needed, in particularly regarding therapeutical techniques to improve insight into illness.
Bottlender
Ronald
R
East London NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom.
Hloucal
Teresa-Maria
TM
D001364:Awareness; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D003210:Concept Formation; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D006801:Humans; D055809:Illness Behavior; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology; D011599:Psychopathology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000628:therapy*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012945:Social Values