Insight and hopelessness in forensic patients with schizophrenia

To quantitatively explore the level of insight in forensic patients with schizophrenia, and its relationship to symptoms and to a history of violence. In addition, to test the hypothesis that scores in the insight domains of 'compliance' and 'awareness of illness' are positively correlated with scores on a self-report scale measuring 'hopelessness'.

The study consisted of a cross-sectional survey. Subjects were inpatients and outpatients in the rehabilitation service of the Victorian Institute of Forensic Mental Health. Twenty-eight patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia and a history of serious offending consented to take part. Twenty-two of these had committed homicide. Measures were obtained for each on the Schedule for Assessment of Insight, the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale for Schizophrenia and the Beck Hopelessness Scale.

The mean insight score for forensic patients was 8.39 (SD 4.88). Insight scores did not differ significantly between those subjects who had a history of violence prior to their index offence and those who did not. Awareness of illness, but not compliance, was positively correlated with level of hopelessness. A higher level of awareness of having a mental illness was thus related to feeling more hopeless about the future.

Mean insight scores in patients with schizophrenia with a forensic history do not differ significantly from those in non-forensic populations. Being more aware of being mentally ill may be a risk factor for hopelessness about the future. The limitations of the study are the small sample size, and the fact that it is confined to a relatively clinically stable population.