In recent years evidence has accumulated to implicate a poor awareness of illness in schizophrenia. This study employed two clinical scales to assess both the psychopathology of 41 schizophrenic patients and the intensity of their awareness of illness. The results show the existence of a close relationship between these two clinical dimensions. Nevertheless, awareness of illness did not appear as a constant and isolated factor. In the authors' opinion, the findings derivated from the study support the idea that a poor awareness of illness could be a nuclear symptom of schizophrenia.