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Shikha Goel, B S Chavan, Nidhi Malhotra and Manoj K Bajaj
Government Medical College and Hospital, India
ScientificTracks Abstracts: J Psych and Mental Health Research
Statement of the Problem: Unawareness of mental illness has been commonly observed in schizophrenia and has been recognized as a potential barrier to treatment adherence and a risk factor for a range of poorer outcomes. There are some of the potential causes behind poor insight, including deficits in neurocognition, social cognition, meta-cognition and heightened self-stigma.
The purpose of the study: Study was conducted to look at the relationship of neurocognition, social cognition with insight in schizophrenia, as there is paucity of research in Indian literature.
Methodology and theoretical orientation: A cross-sectional, single assessment design was used to study 60 participants with a diagnosis of schizophrenia as per International Classification of Diseases (ICD) – 10 fulfilling inclusion and exclusion criteria at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector -32b, Chandigarh (INDIA).
Findings: Only one – sixth of the patient had complete insight. Significant cognitive dysfunctions were present in majority of patients in the domain of attention, working memory, mental speed, verbal fluency, category fluency, set shifting, abstraction and intelligence as well as social cognition. No association was seen between levels of insight and neurocognitive functions and social cognition.
Conclusion and Significance: In this study, we have found that insight was not associated with any of the cognitive functions.
Shikha Goel has done MD in Psychiatry from Government Medical College, Chandigarh, India. During her tenure as a resident she took up the research work on assessing the relationship of insight with neurocognition and social cognition in patients with Schizophrenia. Dearth of Indian literature on the topic sparked her interest in the topic. Lack of insight has been an important factor determining the adherence to treatment and prognosis of Schizophrenia; hence the determinants of insight are very pertinent in management of Schizophrenia. The research work was completed over a period of 3 years and has produced interesting results and merit further investigations into the subject.
E-mail: shkhgoel@gmail.com
