Introspective capacities in patients with cognitive deficits after subarachnoid hemorrhage

Examined 58 patients after subarachnoid hemorrhage by means of neuropsychological tests, a self-report questionnaire, proxy ratings, and personality forms. The degree of cognitive impairment showed only a slight association with an impairment self-rating scale (r = .32, p > .01). On the other hand, the proxy impairment ratings correlated well with the degree of cognitive disturbance (r = .68, p < .001). Self-rated impairment correlated substantially with depression (r = .63, p < .001). A 2 x 2 analysis of variance showed a significant two-way interaction (p = .014) between depression and cognitive disturbance explaining the subjective impairment rating. Depressive patients tended to maximize their actual degree of impairment. Patients with right parietal and/or frontal infarcts showed significantly less depression and illness concern than did patients with infarcts at other locations, although both groups had a comparable degree of cognitive and self-rated impairment.