INTELLECTUAL FUNCTIONING OF INSTITUTIONALIZED NARCOTIC ADDICTS WITH DEMOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS (FROM REFORM IN CORRECTIONS - PROBLEMS AND ISSUES, 1977, BY HARRY E ALLEN AND NANCY J BERAN - SEE NCJ-46620)

• NCJ Number: 46623
• Author(s): M KOSLOWSKY; C LEVETT
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 8 pages
• Corporate Author: Praeger Publishers
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

INTELLECTUAL NORMALITY, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EDUCATION AND VARIATION IN INTELLIGENCE SCORES, AND THE DEGREE OF MENTAL IMPAIRMENT IN NARCOTIC ADDICTS IS MEASURED IN RELATION TO THE NORMING TEST GROUP.

Abstract

NOTING THAT THE FEW EARLIER REPORTED STUDIES HAVE INDICATED THAT ADDICTS' INTELLIGENCE QUOTIENTS (IQ) ARE SIMILAR TO THOSE OF NONADDICTS, THE INVESTIGATORS CONTEND THAT IT IS NOT UNREASONABLE TO EXPECT A RELATIVELY NORMAL LEVEL OF INTELLIGENCE, GIVEN THE LIFESTYLE AND BACKGROUNDS OF MANY ADDICTS. THIS CONTENTION WAS TESTED BY ANALYZING 1,980 SUBJECTS UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE NEW YORK STATE DRUG ABUSE CONTROL COMMISSION IN 1971 AND 1972. SUBJECTS WERE GENERALLY FOUND TO BE MINORITY MALES IN THEIR LATE TEENS WHOSE EDUCATION HAD TERMINATED SOMETIME DURING HIGH SCHOOL AND WHO HAD TYPICALLY BEEN ON HEROIN FOR MORE THAN 3 YEARS. AS A GROUP, THESE INSTITUTIONALIZED ADDICTS DISPLAYED A MEAN INTELLIGENCE SCORE APPROXIMATELY EQUAL TO THAT OF THE SHIPLEY NORMING GROUP, THE SHIPLEY SCALE BEING USED FOR THE TESTING. A RELATIONSHIP WAS FOUND BETWEEN SHIPLEY SCORES AND EDUCATION, ALTHOUGH THE ADDICT SAMPLE SHOWED RELATIVELY GREATER POSSIBLE MENTAL IMPAIRMENT THAN THE NORMING GROUP. IT IS NOTED, HOWEVER, THAT FURTHER RESEARCH WITH COMPARABLE SAMPLES, AS WELL AS VALIDITY DATA, IS NEEDED BEFORE INFERENCES ON THE EXTENT OF MENTAL IMPAIRMENT AMONG ADDICTS CAN BE MADE. SOME PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS FOR TREATMENT OF ADDICTS ARE SUGGESTED. TABLES OF DATA ON THE RESULTS ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--RCB)