This study examined the effects of an insight-oriented nursing program on schizophrenic patients' insight, positive and negative syndromes, and depression.

A non-equivalent control group non-synchronized design was utilized. For this research, a total of 34 subjects were selected at a psychiatric hospital in Daegu during the period ranging from Oct. 1st, 2005 to Feb. 11th, 2006 (experimental group=17, control group=17).

After the treatment, between the experimental and control groups, there wasa significant difference in the level of SUMD(t=-4.52, p=.000) and positive syndrome(t=6.97, p=.013), but no significant difference in the negative syndrome(t=-1.81, p=.079) and depression(t=2.23, p=.145).

The results of this study show that the insight-oriented nursing program works well for schizophrenic patients. Therefore, it is recommended that this program should be used in clinical practice as an effective nursing intervention for schizophrenic patients.

This study is aimed to analyze and clarify the ambiguous concept of insight.

This study used the process of Walker & Avant's concept analysis.

Insight can be defined in terms of its attributes as follows: Insight 1) comes as a release to the tension of inquiry, (2) is the outcome of the process to discover the overall structure of the problem situation and psychologically restructurize it, (3) comes suddenly and unexpectedly, (4) is to clearly perceive the solution of the abstract problem, and (5) promotes obtaining another new insight. The antecedents of insight include inquiry that can not be resolved easily and also a state where basic knowledge related to the inquiry can be utilized. The consequence of the insight is (1) a new judgement is made, (2) the problem is solved, (3) previous insight is retained and transferred, and it also facilitates the generation of fresh insight, and (4) it passes into the habitual texture of one's mind.

Nurse educators need to facilitate nursing students and nurses to accumulate systematically, various information that can become the basis of insight and provide them with an opportunity to experience a variety of problems. In addition, it is important to provide questions to learners as an education strategy to allow them to gain insight into problem solving. From now on, insight needs to be studied in conjunction with critical thinking and questioning in order to enhance nurses' ability to resolve problems.