The relationship between cognitive insight and quality of life in schizophrenia spectrum disorders: Symptom severity as potential moderator

Abstract

Cognitive insight is implicated in the formation and maintenance of hallucinations and delusions. However, it is not yet known whether cognitive insight relates to broader outcome measures like quality of life. In the current study, we investigated whether the component elements of cognitive insight—self-certainty and self-reflectiveness—were related to quality of life for 43 outpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Cognitive insight was assessed using the Beck Cognitive Insight Scale (BCIS) while quality of life was assessed with Quality of Life Scale (QLS). We tested whether this relationship was moderated by clinical insight and symptom severity using the Scale to Assess Unawareness of Mental Disorder (SUMD) and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). We found that self- reflectiveness had an unmoderated positive relationship with quality of life. Self-certainty was associated with better quality of life for people with more severe symptoms. Theoretical and clinical implications of these findings are discussed and areas of future research are proposed.