Correlates of Alcoholic Blackout Experience

Correlates of Alcoholic Blackout Experience

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were substantially below normative values for the general population. For
example, age-scaled scores for the memory and the trails variables were all 7
or below (on a scale of Mean, 10; SD, 3). This is in sharp contrast to the mean
age-scaled score of 11.7 for the Wais/Wais-R Vocabulary sub-scale, an index
resistant to alcoholic deterioration.

Several MANOVA’s were run to detect any association between
cognitive functioning and the presence of blackouts. Since different versions
of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale were used, analyses were conducted
separately for the WAIS and WAIS-R groups. Five subscales were included in
the analysis (Digit Span, Vocabulary, Picture Completion, Block Design, and
Digit Symbol). Neither analysis was significant (For the WAIS group, (F
(5,28) = .70, p = .63; for the WAIS-R group, (F (5,23) = .17, p = .97)). A
MANOVA for the Trails and the memory variables conducted for the whole
group showed little difference as a function of the presence of blackouts (F
(7,47) = .56, p = .79).

Discussion

This study replicates some previous findings. The presence of
blackouts was related to some measures of severity of problem - withdrawal
symptoms and loss of control. However, contrary to the findings of some

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