Insight and comparison of different insight scales in patients with panic disorder

AIM: Insight is one of the most controversial concepts in psychiatry with uncertain scope and boundaries. There are very few studies on the concept of insight in panic disorder in the literature. In our study, we aimed to investigate the similarities and differences of various insight scales in patients with panic disorder, to examine the relationship between insight scales and clinical symptoms, and to investigate the factors that predict disease severity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted with 53 panic disorder patients who applied to Sakarya University Training and Research Hospital Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic and met the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the study. The patients were first interviewed with SCID-1 compatible with DSM-V. The socio-demographic data form, Panic Disorder Severity Scale, Brown Assessment of Beliefs Scale, Overvalued Ideas Scale, Schedule for Assessing the Three Components of Insight were administered by the physician. Beck Cognitive Insight Scale, Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3, Symptom Interpretation Scale were self reported. RESULTS: No correlation was found between sociodemographic variables and disease severity or insight level. There is no correlation between anxiety sensitivity and the level of insight; between symptom interpretation and the level of insight. Individuals with increased physical and cognitive anxiety sensitivity tend to attribute their symptoms to somatic causes and experience higher disease severity. No correlation was found between the Beck Cognitive Insight Scale and other insight scales. The three scale that most predict disease severity, in descending order are Overvalued Ideas Scale, Symptom Interpretation Questionnaire - Somatic Attributions and Brown Assessment of Beliefs Scale. CONCLUSION: A decrease in insight in patients with panic disorder leads to an increase in disease severity. No correlation was found between Beck Cognitive Insight Scale and and other insight scales or disease severity. Anxiety sensitivity level and symptom interpretation style do not influence the level of insight. Keywords: Anxiety sensitivity, insight, panic disorder, symptom interpretation, symptom severity