Insight in Psychiatry

by Ivana Marková

Overview

Despite considerable research examining insight in patients with psychoses, non-psychotic disorders and chronic organic brain syndromes, results are inconclusive and insight remains a source of some mystification. To what extent can patients understand disorders which affect their mental function? Does insight bear a prognostic value? Is impaired insight determined by the illness or are other factors of equal importance? Ivana S. Marková examines the problems involved in studying insight in patients with mental illness in order to provide a clearer understanding of the factors that determine its clinical manifestation.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521825184
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	10/13/2005
Pages:	344
Product dimensions:	7.09(w) x 9.96(h) x 0.83(d)

About the Author

D. O. B.22 June 1963.

Table of Contents

Preface; Part I. Historical and Clinical: 1. Historical overview; 2. The psychological perspective: gestalt, cognitive and psychoanalytic; 3. Insight in clinical psychiatry: empirical studies; 4. Insight in organic brain syndromes Section 1: Insight into neurological states; 5. Insight in organic brain syndromes Section 2: Insight into dementia; Part II. Conceptual: 6. The conceptualisation of insight; 7. The relational aspects of insight: the 'object' of insight assessment; 8. Towards a structure of insight Section 1: Awareness and insight: an essential distinction?; 9. Towards a structure of insight; Section 2: The relationship between awareness and insight; Index.

Editorial Reviews

"In summary, this is a well-written and well-argued book that provides new insights into the nature of the phenomenon of insight and the ways in which it should be understood in order to capture more accurately its clinical significance. We highly recommend the book not only to those who are interested or involved in the topic but also to any practitioner in the field of mental health."
Victor Peralta and Manuel J. Cuesta, Psychological Medicine, 2006

From the Publisher