Field dependence and verbalized strategies on the portable rod-and-frame test by depressed outpatients and normal controls.

This study examined the relationships between scores on the cognitive style of field dependence-independence and verbalized strategies on the Portable Rod-and-Frame Test for normal and psychopathological outpatients. We attempted to verify (a) Manning's hypothesis (1991) of a correspondence between scores on field dependence and external strategies (reference to the visual field) and scores on field independence and internal strategies (reference to the body) on perceptual tasks, and (b) a tendency of depressed persons to score as field dependent, and (c) use of external verbalized strategies. A total of 50 depressed outpatients and 50 normal controls were administered the test and requested to report the strategy they had employed to solve the problem. Contrary to Manning's findings, no significant relationship was found between cognitive style and verbalized strategies in the total sample. Depressed outpatients classified as internal scored significantly higher on the Group Embedded Figures Test but appeared more field dependent on the Rod-and-Frame Test. Moreover, only for the former test did depressed outpatients score more field-dependent than controls. Finally, no significant relationship was found between the diagnosis of depression and use of external strategies; however, field dependence and the use of external strategies on the Rod-and-Frame Test were associated with more severe depressive symptoms measured by the D scale of the MMPI-2. Further research is needed to assess the role of premorbid personality structures of depression in subjective and objective aspects of Rod-and-Frame Test performance.