Temporal stability of field dependence among hospitalized alcoholics.

Administered the Rod and Frame Test (RFT) to 37 male alcoholics after 10 days (RFT1) of hospitalization and again 33 days (RFT2) later. Contrary to the data reported by G. Goldstein and J. W. Chotlos (see 41:2), there were no significant differences between performance on RFT1 (mean sum of errors = 66.45– of deviation from vertical) and RFT2 (M = 64.53–), suggesting that sobriety and abstinence are not significant variables in the reduction of perceptual field dependence among alcoholics. Research involving alteration of the internal and/or external sensory environment to permit S greater awareness of proprioceptive, kinesthetic, labyrinthine, and other interoceptive cues to the vertical was emphasized as a means of achieving reductions in field dependence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)