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BACKGROUND: Assessing illness perceptions has been useful in a range of medical disorders. This study of people with a recent relapse of their psychosis examines the relationship between illness perception, their emotional responses and their attitudes to medication. METHOD: One hundred patients diagnosed with a non-affective psychotic disorder were assessed within 3 months of relapse. Measures included insight, self-reported illness perceptions, medication adherence, depression, self-esteem and anxiety. RESULTS: Illness perceptions about psychosis explained 46, 36 and 34% of the variance in depression, anxiety and self-esteem respectively. However, self-reported medication adherence was more strongly associated with a measure of insight. CONCLUSIONS: Negative illness perceptions in psychosis are clearly related to depression, anxiety and self-esteem. These in turn have been linked to symptom maintenance and recurrence. Clinical interventions that foster appraisals of recovery rather than of chronicity and severity may therefore improve emotional well-being in people with psychosis. It might be better to address adherence to medication through direct attempts at helping them understand their need for treatment.

Original publication

DOI

10.1017/S0033291706007458

Type

Journal article

Journal

Psychol Med

Publication Date

06/2006

Volume

36

Pages

761 - 770

Keywords

Adult, Antipsychotic Agents, Anxiety Disorders, Attitude to Health, Cognitive Therapy, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Humans, Male, Mood Disorders, Patient Compliance, Psychotic Disorders, Recurrence, Schizophrenia, Self Concept, Severity of Illness Index, Surveys and Questionnaires