Xavier F. Amador – författare

The cornerstone of any psychiatric evaluation, the mental status exam, requires an assessment of insight -- a term commonly employed by clinicians to describe a patient''s awareness (or lack thereof) of having a mental disorder. However, the relationship between the accuracy of self-knowledge and mental health is complex, and as a result the term "insight" has become riddled with conceptual ambiguities. This book takes a multidisciplinary approach to examine the nature and significance of insight. The first section introduces the issues and problems one is confronted with when attempting to gauge insight, and proposes solutions such as scales to make assessments. The second section investigates the origins of poor insight, while the third section examines cross-cultural differences in the awareness of and attitudes toward poor insight. The final sections explore the clinical implications of insight, including discussions on how insight affects behavior and examinations of advancements in the treatment of impaired insight. The volume presents recent advances in the study of insight from the perspectives of varied disciplines, including clinical and cognitive psychology, clinical and forensic psychiatry, neurology, neuropsychology, and philosophy, to provide a better understanding of the phenomenology, origins, cross-cultural differences, and clinical implications of insight.

The insight a patient shares into their own psychosis is fundamental to their condition - it goes to the heart of what we understand 'madness' to be. Can a person be expected to accept treatment for a condition that they deny they have? Can a person be held responsible for their actions if those actions are inspired by their own unique perceptions and beliefs - beliefs that no-one else shares?The topic of insight in schizophrenia and related disorders has become a major focus of research in psychiatry and psychology. It has important clinical implications in terms of outcome, treatment adherence, competence, and forensic issues.In order to study 'insight' a broad perspective is required. This involves applying knowledge from the cognitive and brain sciences, as well as from philosophy and the social sciences.Insight and Psychosis comprises a series of in-depth, well-referenced, scholarly overviews from each of these perspectives with a strong empirical foundation - including in some cases the presentation of new data and meta-analysis of the published literature. These are integrated and synthesised by the editors, both acknowledged experts in the field. The scope is truly international and spans theoretical perspectives, clinical practice, and consumer views. The book will act as a source for students and researchers interested in pursuing any number of questions and controversies around lack of insight and awareness, and will guide clinical psychologists and psychiatrists who seek a broader view of the many facets of insight that might arise during their day-to-day work.