Insight and correlates among outpatients with depressive disorders

The aims of this study were to explore the levels of insight in patients with depressive disorders and to examine the factors that influenced insight. Using the Mood Disorders Insight Scale, we evaluated 247 patients with depressive disorders to determine their levels of insight with respect to their awareness of the illness, the attribution of symptoms, and their belief in the necessity of treatment. The relationships between insight and the severity of depressive symptoms, the level of self-stigma, sociodemographic characteristics, and the course of the illness were examined. The results reveal that 91 (36.8%) subjects had impaired insight into awareness of their illness, 92 (37.2%) had impaired insight into attribution of symptoms, and 39 (15.8%) had impaired insight into the need for treatment. A younger age and more severe depression symptoms were significantly associated with insight into awareness of the illness. More severe depression symptoms and a higher education were associated with intact insight with respect to attribution of symptoms. Those who have a major depressive disorder were more likely to have intact insight into the need for treatment than those with depressive disorder that was not otherwise specified. Analysis of our results indicates that depressive patients with factors predicting impaired insight may benefit from intervention to improve their insight, and this should advance their recovery.