Relationship between insight and theory of mind in schizophrenia: A meta-analysis

BORA İ. E.

SCHIZOPHRENIA RESEARCH, vol.190, pp.11-17, 2017 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Review
  • Volume: 190
  • Publication Date: 2017
  • Doi Number: 10.1016/j.schres.2017.03.029
  • Journal Name: SCHIZOPHRENIA RESEARCH
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.11-17
  • Keywords: Schizophrenia, Theory of mind, Insight, COGNITIVE-INSIGHT, SOCIAL COGNITION, POOR INSIGHT, 1ST-EPISODE PSYCHOSIS, NEUROCOGNITION, SELF, DEPRESSION, ILLNESS, METACOGNITION, DEFICITS
  • Dokuz Eylül University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Poor insight in schizophrenia has been associated with executive dysfunction and deficits in general cognitive ability. The overall outcome of available neurocognitive studies suggests that there is a significant but modest relationship between cognitive deficits and poor insight in schizophrenia. However, social cognitive abilities, particularly, theory of mind (ToM), might also play a role in poor insight in schizophrenia. A novel meta-analysis of the relationship between ToM and insight in schizophrenia was conducted. Current meta-analysis included 16 studies including 1085 patients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. There was a significant association between ToM and clinical insight (r = 0.28, CI= 0.20-0.36). By contrast, there was no significant relationship between ToM and cognitive insight. Current findings suggest that there is a small but significant relationship between ToMand clinical insight in schizophrenia. ToMimpairment is one of the factors contributing to poor insight in schizophrenia. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.