Psychological Differentiation in Heroin Addicts

Thirty male and 31 female heroin addicts were tested for field dependence using the Portable Rod and Frame Test. Scores were compared to results obtained by Oltman of a normal population. The addicts as a group were found to be more field-dependent than normals. The female addicts, however, were significantly more field-dependent than male addicts who, conversely, appeared similar to normal males. Both addict samples were characterized by marked variability, suggesting that heroin addicts represent a strongly heterogeneous population and not a homogeneous one as suggested by earlier studies of the disorder.