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Insight and quality of life in chizophrenia spectrum disorders

An examination of their paradoxical relationship

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Quality of Life Impairment in Schizophrenia, Mood and Anxiety Disorders

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While interest has grown steadily in understanding how persons with schizophrenia appraise their disorder and subsequent needs, the nature of the impact of awareness or admission of disorder on various domains of quality of life has remained a matter of considerable debate. At the level of both theory and empirical study it has been alternately held that acknowledgement of one’s mental illness is a detriment and a key to successful adaptation. From one perspective, acceptance of illness has been advanced as a key to making informed decisions about one’s future, to free oneself from blame for difficulties linked with illness and to forming bonds with others who are aware of one’s difficulties. From another view, however, “awareness of illness” has been suggested to represent the acceptance of a system of social power in which one’s individuality and dignity is at risk of being diminished. Indeed empirical studies suggest both awareness and lack of awareness have significant risks associated with them. In this chapter we review this evidence and present data which suggest that the impact of insight on quality of life may be mitigated by the degree to which persons have internalized stigmatizing beliefs about their illness. Clinical and theoretical implications are discussed

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Roudebush VA Medical Center, The Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, USA

    Paul H. Lysaker

  2. School of Psychological Science, University of Indianapolis, IN

    Shira Louria

Authors
  1. Paul H. Lysaker
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  2. Shira Louria
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa

    Michael S. Ritsner

  2. Director, Acute Department, Sha’ar Menashe, Mental Health Center, Israel

    Michael S. Ritsner

  3. Associate Editor, Quality of Life Research, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Michael S. Ritsner

  4. Professor Emeritus, Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Medical Science University of Toronto Chief of Psychiatry, Humber River Regional Hospital, Toronto

    A. George Awad

  5. Ontario President, The International Society of CNS, Clinical Trials and Methodology, Canada

    A. George Awad

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Lysaker, P.H., Louria, S. (2007). Insight and quality of life in chizophrenia spectrum disorders. In: Ritsner, M.S., Awad, A.G. (eds) Quality of Life Impairment in Schizophrenia, Mood and Anxiety Disorders. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-5779-3_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-5779-3_11

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4020-5777-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4020-5779-3

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