Recovery and insight in schizophrenia

A study sample of 50 patients suffering from schizophrenia was examined at readmission and thereafter every second week until each patient had been interviewed five times i.e. eight weeks in total. Three types of recovery are identified, one with full and two with partial recovery of delusional beliefs. In patients with full recovery, the delusional dimensions (conviction, extension and pressure) decrease in a parallel manner. In patients with partial recovery, decreases in pressure precede decreases in other dimensions. Two-thirds (64%) of the patients have high insight from the very start of admission, and for two-thirds (68%) the degree of insight does not change during recovery. The average degree of insight increases during recovery, irrespective of the type of recovery. It is concluded that insight operates to some degree independently of positive psychotic symptoms and may be perceived as a distinct component of recovery.