Relationships between insight and psychosocial adjustment in patients with bipolar I disorder

Objectives: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine the relationships between insight and psychosocial adjustment in outpatients with bipolar I disorder in clinical remission. Methods: Using the Schedule of Assessment of Insight (SAI) and its expanded version (SAI-E), we evaluated 50 consecutive patients with bipolar I disorder in remission to determine their level of insight. We also evaluated their psychosocial adjustment using the Community Life Scale. Relationships among psychosocial adjustment, insight, residual affective symptoms, and demographic and clinical characteristics were examined. Results: The results of the multiple regression analysis indicated that having a higher total SAI or SAI-E insight score and having no residual affective symptoms were significantly associated with better psychosocial adjustment in patients with bipolar I disorder. Conclusions: In this cross-sectional study, better insight and less residual affective symptoms were correlated with good psychosocial adjustment. To address the causality issue, a longitudinal study is needed.