Reduced awareness of illness in first-episode psychosis

Abstract

We sought to investigate whether first-episode and multiple-episode patients differ in their awareness of their illness. A total of 312 multiple-episode and 144 first-episode patients participated, the majority of whom had a schizophrenia spectrum disorder (schizophrenia or schizophreniform disorder). Insight was measured using the Scale for the Assessment of Unawareness of Mental Disorder (SUMD). First-episode patients with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder were less aware of having a mental illness than multiple-episode patients. Our findings suggest that in the time following the first episode of psychosis, patients may become less defensive, and possibly more skilled in using medical ter..