Abstract
Purpose
Previous studies have investigated the role of gender in clinical symptoms, social functioning, and neuropsychological performance in people with first-episode psychosis (FEP). However, the evidence of gender differences for metacognition in subjects with FEP is still limited and controversial. The aim of the present study was to explore gender differences in cognitive insight and cognitive biases in this population.
Methods
Cross-sectional study was carried out in a sample of 104 patients with FEP (35 females and 69 males) recruited from mental health services. Symptoms were assessed with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, cognitive insight with the Beck Cognitive Insight Scale, and cognitive bias by the Cognitive Biases Questionnaire for Psychosis. The assessment also included clinical and sociodemographic characteristics.
Results
After controlling for potential confounders (level of education, marital status, and duration of psychotic illness) analysis of covariance revealed that males presented greater self-reflectiveness (p = 0.004) when compared to females. However, no significant differences were found in self-certainty and composite index of the cognitive insight scale, as in the cognitive biases assessed.
Conclusions
Gender was an independent influence factor for self-reflectiveness, being better for males. Self-reflectiveness, if shown to be relatively lacking in women, could contribute to the design of more gender-sensitive and effective psychotherapeutic treatments, as being able to self-reflect predicts to better treatment response in psychosis.
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We specially thank all the participants for their generosity of time and effort.
Funding
This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Health Carlos III (PI14/00044, PI18/ 00212, PI17/00111), the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER), Health Department of Catalonia, PERIS call (SLT006/17/00231), Progress and Health Foundation of the Andalusia (PI-0193/2014), Obra Social La Caixa (RecerCaixa call 2013), and a research personal (FI18/00028).
Data availability Due to confidentiality issues, access to data will only be granted on request (S.O.; susana.ochoa@sjd.es; J.U.; judith.usall@sjd.es).
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Espinosa, V., Naides, N., López-Carrilero, R. et al. The influence of gender in cognitive insight and cognitive bias in people with first-episode psychosis: an uncontrolled exploratory analysis. Arch Womens Ment Health (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-024-01425-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-024-01425-5