Video as a Tool to Improve Insight in Schizophrenia

The deficit of awareness of pathology (or insight) is a common symptom in patients with schizophrenia and has a negative impact on the prognosis of the disease. Current treatments aren't effective enough on this symptom (Pijnenbord et al., 2013). Previous studies have shown a positive impact of videos of patients themselves on insight but they lacked power. This technique needs more investigation. The study aims to improve the patient's awareness of pathology with a video of themselves recorded in the acute phase of their illness. Patients will watch this video after clinical stabilization. This is a randomized controlled and single blinded trial. A population of 60 patients (30 in each group) will be included. The impact on the insight, symptomatology, treatment adherence and functional remission will be evaluated. The video of patient is useful for a personalized clinical follow-up. Its use for therapeutic purposes would be innovative and could be extended to other applications in psychiatry, especially as this tool is readily available.