Multidimensional Evaluation of Awareness in Prader-Willi Syndrome

Abstract

There are no studies about insight or awareness of illness in patients with Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS). The objective of this study was to explore the level of awareness of the disorder, of the need for medication, and of the social consequences of the disease, as well as of its main symptoms in PWS. We also aimed to explore relationships between awareness and sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, and to compare all data with a matched sample of patients with psychosis. Insight was assessed by an Adapted version of the Scale of Unawareness of Mental Disorder in a cross-sectional pilot study at a University Hospital. Thirty-six individuals with PWS (58.3% women) were included. Results showed that PWS patients had a good awareness of the illness and of the effects of medication, in contrast to a lack of awareness of illness’ social consequences. Awareness of obesity/overweight was excellent, as was the awareness of excessive appetite. Awareness of excessive food intake was only mild. Insight correlated with age and functionality, but not with BMI. PWS patients showed a better insight into the illness but a similar awareness of the effects of the medication and of the social consequences of the disease as compared to schizophrenia-spectrum patients. This profile of insight may have relevant clinical implications.

Social Responsiveness and Psychosocial Functioning in Adults with Prader–Willi Syndrome

“…The Social Awareness domain refers to the ability to perceive social cues, and this part of the SRS comprises items representing the sensory aspects of reciprocal social behavior. Our findings in this domain could be related to the deficits in insight dimensions found in our group’s previous studies in patients with PWS, who showed good awareness of their illness and its core symptoms (e.g., obesity/excess weight or excessive appetite) and of the effects of psychotropic medication, but lacked awareness of the social consequences of their illness (e.g., excessive food intake) [ 29 , 30 ]. This profile of insight may have relevant clinical implications, as suggested in the combined results for functionality and social responsiveness.…”