Insight, psychopathology & schizophrenia.

25 inpatients with schizophrenia were examined to explore the relationship between insight and psychopathology and illness severity over a four-week period. The average degree of insight improved irrespective of the type of recovery. There was no consistent relationship between the changes in insight and changes in psychopathology. The severity of mental illness and awareness of mental disorder showed a semi-independent pattern of association. It is concluded that insight operates to some extent independent of psychopathology and severity of illness.