Relative importance of mental dysfunction to chronic alcoholics.

Abstract

Self-perception of chronic alcoholics as determined by the Mental Dullness Scale was not significantly changed by poor performance on the Halstead Categories Test and feedback to that effect. When asked to rank order several detrimental consequences of alcoholism, mental deterioration was near the bottom (significantly less consequential than financial problems). Although mental deterioration and concomitant impaired cognitive functioning is a reality for chronic alcoholics, it is apparently not a salient enough feature of alcoholism to be used as a deterrent with persons of lower socioeconomic status.