title: Stigma as a predictor of insight in schizophrenia.
abstract: Insight in schizophrenia can be seen as a multifactorial phenomenon. Although multifactorial pathways have also been suggested for insight formation, motivational explanations have rarely been tested. The present study explores stigma as one possible determinant of a motivated lack of insight in integrated models of insight formation. It examines the contribution of socio-demographic and clinical variables, neurocognitive functions, symptoms, and stigma to the prediction of insight into illness. Patients diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (N=111) participated in a comprehensive battery of instruments to measure insight dimensions, stigma, neurocognitive functions, symptoms, socio-demographic and clinical variables. Blockwise multiple regression analysis indicates significant association of variability in insight dimensions with gender (7%) and stigma (i. e., stereotype agreement: 5%). Our findings demonstrate an incremental validity of stigma, which indicates a motivational pathway of insight formation. This study enables better understanding of the multifactorial nature of insight, which should be considered in therapeutic interventions to improve insight. The roles of gender and neurocognitive functions in insight formation are also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Psychologie der Universitaet Osnabrueck, Knollstrasse 15, 49069 Osnabrück, Germany. lpruss@uni-osnabrueck.de
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pruß
authors.forename: Karl Heinz
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Wiedl
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Waldorf
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D057545:Social Stigma