Introspective Accuracy, Bias, and Everyday Functioning in Severe Mental Illness

This is a multi-site, multiple-PI project funded by the National Institute of Mental Health aimed at developing a fuller understanding of how introspective accuracy (IA) relates to real-world functioning and how differences in symptoms moderate this relationship in severe mental illness.

IN THIS STUDY OUR GOAL IS TO IDENTIFY DETERMINANTS OF FUNCTIONAL OUTCOME IN SEVERE MENTAL ILLNESS IN ORDER TO IMPROVE CURRENT PSYCHOSOCIAL REMEDIATION STRATEGIES, PROMOTE RECOVERY, AND MOVE THE FIELD CLOSER TOWARD PERSONALIZED INTERVENTION.

Collaborators

Philip Harvey, PhD, University of Miami
Colin Depp, PhD, University of California, San Diego

Study Basics

This is a two-visit study. Visit 1 will take approximately 1.5 hours, and individuals will be compensated $35. Visit 2 will take approximately 3 hours, and individuals will be compensated $65. Between visit 1 and visit 2 individuals will complete short electronic surveys for 30 days. During this 30-day period, individuals will be compensated up to $100. During the visits, participants will be interviewed about their current and past symptoms, and will be asked to complete several short paper-and-pencil questionnaires and computerized tasks that involve looking at pictures or listening to short phrases and answering questions about them. Approximately 450 adults with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder will be recruited across the three study sites.

Additional Study Information

Self-awareness can be impaired in severe mental illness, and sometimes, this affects the ability to directly evaluate one’s own abilities and performance, a skill referred to as introspective accuracy (IA). Our recent work has provided evidence of IA deficits in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder that are related to difficulties in everyday functioning. In this study, our goal is to answer questions about the extent of IA deficits, how these deficits are distinct from other forms of insight, and how they relate to symptoms, diagnosis, and function.

If you are interested in volunteering for one of our studies, please fill out our form and provide us with some basic information.