Insight in Psychiatry

Questions concerning the nature of insight in patients with mental illness have interested clinicians for a long time. To what extent can patients understand disorders which affect their mental function? Does insight carry a prognostic value? Is impaired insight determined by the illness or are other factors important? Despite considerable research examining insight in patients with psychoses, non-psychotic disorders and chronic organic brain syndromes, results are inconclusive and insight remains a source of some mystification. Ivana S. Marková examines the problems involved in studying insight in patients with mental illness in order to provide a clearer understanding of the factors that determine its clinical manifestation. She puts forward a new model to illustrate the relationship between different components of insight in theoretical and clinical terms, and points to directions for future research.

• Focused, single-author account of the clinical and conceptual issues raised by the nature of insight in mental disorders • Considers the full range of mental disorders, from psychosis through non-psychotic disorders to chronic organic brain syndromes • Presents a new model to illustrate the relationship between the different components of insight

Contents

Preface; Part I. Historical and Clinical: 1. Historical overview; 2. The psychological perspective: gestalt, cognitive and psychoanalytic; 3. Insight in clinical psychiatry: empirical studies; 4. Insight in organic brain syndromes Section 1: Insight into neurological states; 5. Insight in organic brain syndromes Section 2: Insight into dementia; Part II. Conceptual: 6. The conceptualisation of insight; 7. The relational aspects of insight: the 'object' of insight assessment; 8. Towards a structure of insight Section 1: Awareness and insight: an essential distinction?; 9. Towards a structure of insight; Section 2: The relationship between awareness and insight; Index.

Reviews

'Dr Marková nicely shows how the differentiation between awareness and insight provides a means of understanding the way in which different clinical phenomena relating to insight are obtained and, furthermore, helps to identify some of the specific ways in which such phenomena may be different. … this is a well-written and well-argued book that provides new insights into the ways in which it should be understood in order to capture more accurately its clinical significance. We highly recommend the book not only to those who are interested or involved in the topic but also to any practitioner in the field of mental health.' Psychological Medicine

'… this book succeeds in making the reader aware of the complex nature of insight, and the conceptual and methodological problems that are associated with trying to assess it, while providing a framework that aims to resolve the causes of the inconsistencies in empirical findings.' British Journal of Psychiatry

'As an academic exercise, this is clearly a remarkable book. It grapples courageously with a number of vexed questions, and would certainly help anyone who wants to do empirical research in the area.' Journal of Mental Health