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WAIS functioning of cirrhotic and non‐cirrhotic alcoholics
Author(s) -
Smith Harold H.,
Smith Lili Sikorski
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.124
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1097-4679
pISSN - 0021-9762
DOI - 10.1002/1097-4679(197701)33:1+<309::aid-jclp2270330170>3.0.co;2-n
Subject(s) - wechsler adult intelligence scale , psychology , cirrhosis , intelligence quotient , psychometrics , borderline intellectual functioning , cognition , clinical psychology , psychiatry , medicine , gastroenterology
This study was done to determine whether the cognitive dysfunction often found in chronic alcoholics would be greater for alcoholics with Laennec's cirrhosis than for alcoholics without cirrhosis. It was hypothesized that cirrhotic alcoholics would score lower than non‐cirrhotic alcoholics, who in turn would scors lower than non‐alcoholic, non‐cirrhotic controls on (1) WAIS Verbal, Performance, and Full Scale IQ; (2) scaled score configuration; and (3) the Wechsler Deterioration Quotient. The WAIS was administered in a Veterans Administration Center to 60 Caucasian male patients aged 35‐64 who had been assigned to one of the three groups ( N = 20 per group). No differences were found among groups on age, education, or the Information and Vocabulary subtests ( p > 0.05). Significant differences ( p < 0.05) were found on Verbal, Performance, and Full Scale IQ, the remaining nine subtests, and the Deterioration Quotient. A stepwise discriminate function analysis substantiated these differences. It was concluded that Laennec's cirrhosis is a physical condition that negatively affects intellectual functioning in alcoholics.