Measuring illness insight in patients with alcohol-related cognitive dysfunction using the Q8 questionnaire: a validation study

• Published in: Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment Vol. 12; pp. 1609 - 1615
• Main Authors: Walvoort, Serge Jw, van der Heijden, Paul T, Kessels, Roy Pc, Egger, Jos Im
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Zealand Dove Medical Press Limited 01-01-2016; Taylor & Francis Ltd; Dove Medical Press
• Subjects: Addictions; Alcoholism; Analysis; Brain damage; Cognitive disorders; Dementia; Drinking (Alcoholic beverages); Measurement; Medical research; Memory; Mental disorders; Neurological disorders; Original Research; Patients; Psychiatry; Psychopathology; Quantitative psychology; Self awareness; Studies; Surveys; Validation studies; Van Gogh, Vincent (1853-1890); United States > US; Netherlands; California; Korsakoff’s syndrome; alcohol use disorder; illness insight; neuropsychological assessment; anosognosia; cognition
• ISSN: 1176-6328; 1178-2021; 1178-2021
• DOI: 10.2147/NDT.S104442

Impaired illness insight may hamper treatment outcome in patients with alcohol-related cognitive deficits. In this study, a short questionnaire for the assessment of illness insight (eg, the Q8) was investigated in patients with Korsakoff's syndrome (KS) and in alcohol use disorder (AUD) patients with mild neurocognitive deficits.
First, reliability coefficients were computed and internal structure was investigated. Then, comparisons were made between patients with KS and patients with AUD. Furthermore, correlations with the Dysexecutive Questionnaire (DEX) were investigated. Finally, Q8 total scores were correlated with neuropsychological tests for processing speed, memory, and executive function.
Internal consistency of the Q8 was acceptable (ie, Cronbach's α =0.73). The Q8 items represent one factor, and scores differ significantly between AUD and KS patients. The Q8 total score, related to the DEX discrepancy score and scores on neuropsychological tests as was hypothesized, indicates that a higher degree of illness insight is associated with a higher level of cognitive functioning.
The Q8 is a short, valid, and easy-to-administer questionnaire to reliably assess illness insight in patients with moderate-to-severe alcohol-related cognitive dysfunction.