title: Lack of insight 3 years after first-episode psychosis: an unchangeable illness trait determined from first presentation?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lack of insight is recognized as a symptom that predisposes the individuals with psychosis to noncompliance with the treatment, leading to poorer course of illness. This study aimed to explore baseline predictors of disturbances on insight at follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three insight dimensions (insight of: 'mental illness', 'need for treatment' and 'the social consequences of the disorder') were measured with the Scale to Assess Unawareness of Mental Disorder (SUMD) in a cohort of 224 first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients at 3-year follow-up. Subgroups, good vs. poor insight, were compared on baseline clinical, neuropsychological, premorbid and sociodemographic characteristics. Regression models tested baseline predictors for each insight dimension.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 3-year follow-up a high percentage of patients, 45%, 36% and 33% for each dimension, were found to remain lacking insight. Poor insight into having an illness was predicted by a diagnosis of schizophrenia and poor baseline insight of the social consequences; insight into the need for treatment was predicted by adolescent adjustment and depression at baseline; and insight into the social consequences of the disorder was determined by late adolescent adjustment and baseline insight of mental illness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings support the hypothesis that long-term insight in psychosis seems to be, to some extent, determined from first presentation, showing trait-like properties. A subgroup of 'lacking insight' patients, which is characterized by a diagnosis of schizophrenia, lower levels of premorbid adjustment and less severe depressive symptoms at baseline might benefit from special interventions targeted at enhancing insight from their first contact with psychiatric services.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital, IFIMAV, School of Medicine, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain; CIBERSAM, Centro Investigación Biomédica en Red Salud Mental, Madrid, Spain; Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK. Electronic address: rayesa@humv.es.
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ayesa-Arriola
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Javier David López
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Moríñigo
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Anthony S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: David
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital, IFIMAV, School of Medicine, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain; CIBERSAM, Centro Investigación Biomédica en Red Salud Mental, Madrid, Spain; Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Rocío
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pérez-Iglesias
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital, IFIMAV, School of Medicine, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain; CIBERSAM, Centro Investigación Biomédica en Red Salud Mental, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Jose Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Sánchez
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital, IFIMAV, School of Medicine, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain; CIBERSAM, Centro Investigación Biomédica en Red Salud Mental, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Benedicto
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Crespo-Facorro
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001364:Awareness; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012917:Social Adjustment; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Depression; First episode psychosis; Long-term insight; Multidimensional insight; Premorbid adjustment; Schizophrenia