Individual versus Group Administration of the Memory-For-Designs Test to Alcoholics

Abstract

Approximately 2 weeks following detoxification, 37 male alcoholics were administered the Memory-For-Designs Test under one of four conditions: (a) group administration of odd-numbered designs/individual administration of even-numbered designs; (b) group administration of even-numbered designs/individual administration of odd-numbered designs; (c) individual administration of odd-numbered designs/group administration of even-numbered designs; (d) individual administration of even-numbered designs/group administration of odd-numbered designs. Individual testing followed conventional MFD procedures. During group testing, replicas of the designs were presented via an opaque projector; otherwise, group testing was identical to the individual procedure. Number of errors in design reproductions under individual and group administrations did not differ (<i>F</i>< 1.0). The results support the efficacy of group administration of the MFD Test to alcoholics.