@article{3150647,
    title = "Insight in eating disorders: clinical and cognitive correlates",
    author = "Konstantakopoulos, G. and Tchanturia, K. and Surguladze, S. A. and and David, A. S.",
    journal = "Psychological Medicine",
    year = "2011",
    volume = "41",
    number = "9",
    pages = "1951-1961",
    publisher = "Cambridge University Press",
    issn = "0033-2917",
    doi = "10.1017/S0033291710002539",
    keywords = "Anorexia nervosa; bulimia nervosa; denial of illness; insight; set
shifting",
    abstract = "Background. The aim of this study was to explore the extent of lack of
insight and its components in eating disorders (EDs) and to investigate
the relationship between insight and clinical and cognitive
characteristics in this group.
Method. Seventy-five participants were enrolled in the study : 25 with
anorexia nervosa (AN), 15 with bulimia nervosa (BN) and 35 healthy
controls (HC). Insight was assessed with a modified version of the
Schedule for the Assessment of Insight for EDs (SAI-ED) and
multi-dimensional scaling (MDS) analysis was used to clarify the
internal structure of the scale. Neuropsychological tests included the
Trail Making Test (TMT), the Brixton Test and a Verbal Fluency Task.
Results. Only a subgroup of AN patients (24%) had severe impairment of
insight. Patients with the restricting type of AN (AN-R) had poorer
overall insight than patients with the binge-purge type of the disorder
(AN-B/P). More of the ED patients displayed a deliberate denial of
illness rather than a lack of awareness of the illness. A regression
model revealed that only performance in part B of the TMT (TMT-B) was a
moderate predictor of insight level. No association was found between
insight and other cognitive or clinical variables.
Conclusions. Impaired insight is a significant feature of some ED
patients. Insight in EDs seems to be partially dependent on intact
mental flexibility."
}