# Introspective Accuracy, Bias, and Everyday Functioning in Severe Mental Illness

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS DALLAS · 2020 · $696,389

## Abstract

Project Summary
The present application is in response to Strategy 3.1 of the NIMH strategic plan, which calls for the identification and
validation of new targets for treatment development that underlie disease mechanisms. We propose that introspective
accuracy (IA) represents a critical novel target for intervention and will therefore meet this goal by comprehensively
examining IA in individuals with schizophrenia and individuals with bipolar disorder. Both disorders are characterized by
significant social dysfunction, which impairs quality of life and impedes independent living and employment. IA, a term
referring to one's ability to evaluate his or her own decisions as correct or incorrect (i.e. to know what one knows and what
one does not know), is impaired in individuals with severe mental illness, and our pilot work indicates that impairments in
IA are better predictors of functional outcome than are cognitive or functional abilities themselves. This suggests that
targeting impaired IA in treatments may lead to improved day-to-day function and quality of life. By assessing IA across
the functionally-relevant domains of neurocognition, social cognition, social competence, and functional capacity, we will
test the overarching hypotheses that IA is a critical determinant of real-world functioning (Specific Aim 1), that IA is distinct
from other forms of self-awareness and uniquely contributes to outcomes (Specific Aim 2), and that within individuals, mood and psychotic symptoms dynamically influence both the degree and direction of introspective deficits (Specific Aim 3). Our study design will allow for the assessment of IA at both inter- and intra-individual levels by utilizing Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) to obtain longitudinal data on IA and symptoms. The findings of this project will yield the most thorough understanding of IA to date spanning multiple domains and broadly sampled across two diagnostic constructs. Results will identify a novel treatment target and provide a foundation for the development of psychosocial and neurobiological interventions.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9882332
- **Project number:** 5R01MH112620-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS DALLAS
- **Principal Investigator:** Amy Pinkham
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $696,389
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-06-01 → 2022-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9882332

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9882332, Introspective Accuracy, Bias, and Everyday Functioning in Severe Mental Illness (5R01MH112620-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9882332. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*