Relationship between insight and theory of mind in schizophrenia: A meta-analysis

Emre Bora

doi:10.1016/j.schres.2017.03.029

Relationship between insight and theory of mind in schizophrenia: A meta-analysis

Schizophr Res. 2017 Dec:190:11-17. doi: 10.1016/j.schres.2017.03.029. Epub 2017 Mar 14.

Author

Emre Bora¹

Affiliation

¹ Dokuz Eylül University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Izmir, Turkey; Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne and Melbourne Health, Carlton South, Victoria 3053, Australia. Electronic address: emre.bora@deu.edu.tr.

PMID: 28302393
DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2017.03.029

Abstract

Poor insight in schizophrenia has been associated with executive dysfunction and deficits in general cognitive ability. The overall outcome of available neurocognitive studies suggests that there is a significant but modest relationship between cognitive deficits and poor insight in schizophrenia. However, social cognitive abilities, particularly, theory of mind (ToM), might also play a role in poor insight in schizophrenia. A novel meta-analysis of the relationship between ToM and insight in schizophrenia was conducted. Current meta-analysis included 16 studies including 1085 patients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. There was a significant association between ToM and clinical insight (r=0.28, CI=0.20-0.36). By contrast, there was no significant relationship between ToM and cognitive insight. Current findings suggest that there is a small but significant relationship between ToM and clinical insight in schizophrenia. ToM impairment is one of the factors contributing to poor insight in schizophrenia.

Keywords: Insight; Schizophrenia; Theory of mind.

Publication types

Meta-Analysis
Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Awareness*
Executive Function
Humans
Perception*
Schizophrenic Psychology*
Theory of Mind*