Search

The field dependence-independence of normally developing and mentally retarded boys of low and upper/middle socioeconomic status was examined. To test the cognitive style, the 96 young participants were subdivided into four groups ( n = 24 per group) matched on mean mental age, using the Raven Colored Progressive Matrices. Two groups of mentally retarded boys (Groups A and B) and two groups of normally developing boys (Groups C and D). Groups A and C were matched on mental age at 5.6 yr.; Groups B and D were matched on mental age at 7.6 yr. Each pair of groups differed significantly in mean chronological age. Within each subgroup, 12 boys came from upper/middle socioeconomic status families and 12 from low socioeconomic status families. Analysis indicated absence of significant differences between Groups A and C on field dependence-independence, but there were statistically significant differences between Groups B and D. Moreover, analysis showed that boys from families of upper/middle socioeconomic status, both normally developing and mentally retarded, were consistently more field independent than boys from families of low socioeconomic status. Finally, conclusions were drawn concerning the empirical and theoretical benefits for psychology and education, which arise from the study of field dependence-independence of mentally retarded individuals.

The Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, a standard test for the assessment of executive function and free of a motor component, was employed for the assessment of 37 nondemented patients with idiopathic Parkinson's Disease and 37 matched normal controls. The symptoms of the patients were clinically assessed by means of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale, which yielded scores for the cardinal symptoms of the disease as well as a total motor score. The Wisconsin Card Sorting Test was administered in all subjects in its original form (128 cards), and it was scored to yield 16 measures according to the instruction of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test revised manual. Patients with Parkinson's Disease had significantly lower scores on the following test variables: number of trials administered, perseverative responses, percent perseverative responses, and failure to maintain set. The correlations between the last three variables and total motor score were statistically significant. Of the four cardinal symptoms of the disease, only rigidity correlated significantly with the number of perseverative responses and percent perseverative responses. These findings provide a clue that the lower performance of these patients on certain variables of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test may be related to the process of the disease.

Visuospatial discrimination was evaluated longitudinally in 45 patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease. 47 normal matched subjects served as controls. Visuospatial discrimination was assessed by means of a picture test with complex superimposed objects (Poppelreuter's test) at the beginning of the study as well as three years later. At initial evaluation the group with Parkinson's disease identified fewer objects than the control group and made more errors. Relations between performance on the visuospatial discrimination task and the main parameters of the disease were not statistically significant. At reevaluation, three years later on the same task, performance by the group with Parkinson's disease deteriorated. Longitudinal assessment of motor symptoms showed that disease progressed during the study period in 35 patients. Comparison of motor deterioration with performance on the visuospatial discrimination task showed no statistically significant relationship.