A unidimensional depression scale for the MMPI.

To develop a depression scale that differentiates consistently not only between normal and abnormal samples but also within such samples, items from the MMPI D scale were selected on the basis of consistent relationship to the major dimension or factor underlying the 60 items as determined by a contextual analysis of responses in each of 4 normative samples of 40 Ss (normal and abnormal divided also by sex). The final 30-item scale, called the D30 scale, showed greatly improved within-group distinctions, particularly among normals, dimensionality coefficients (rd) of .97, .95, and .98 being obtained in cross validation in contrast to values of .67, .45, and .87 for the original. Split-half reliability showed improvement despite shorter length, and test-retest estimates in 2 normal samples were .88 and .92. Since part-whole correlations indicated that D30 scale scores account for the systematic differences in scores on the 60-item scale, the D30 scale was recommended for general use in lieu of the original. T score norms based on 424 Ss were presented and scale content discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Brain lesions and five MMPI items.

A 29-item scale was developed using 30 + 30 Ss and .05 level X2 values, for differentiating patients with CNS diseases from those without. Upon cross-validation, the scale differentiated too poorly for clinical use. The X2 values of 5 of the original 29 items towered above the others, and when these 5 were used with cross-validation groups, a cuttingpoint score of 4 on them differentiated above the .01 level of significance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Strategic, method, and stylistic variance in the MMPI.

"Strategic variance arises in the assessment of an S's communality with respect to a normative group on a dimension defined by contrast with a criterion group. Method variance is due to the idiosyncratic nature of the total item pool in regard to the proportion of true and false keyings and the distribution of item popularity values. (Stylistic variance includes dispositions to agree (acquiescence) or disagree (cautiousness) with neutral statements, independently of item content." In these terms, relevant research with the MMPI is reviewed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Prediction of mean scores on MMPI scales: A reply.

The practical utility of Edwards' prediction equation was re-examined as well as other psychometric issues raised by him. It was concluded again that the SD scale is not an effective substitute for the MMPI. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Meta-analytic methods, the Rorschach, and the MMPI.

In response to concerns described by H. N. Garb et al(see record 2001-05665-003), the authors present the weighted and unweighted means and medians of the effect sizes obtained by J. B. Hiller et al (see record 1999-11130-005). These indices of central tendency are presented separately for MMPI and Rorschach effect sizes, both for all the studies in the meta-analysis and for a 10% trimmed sample designed to obtain more robust estimates of central tendency. The variability of these 4 indices is noticeably greater for the MMPI than for the Rorschach. Meta-analysts must compute, compare, and evaluate a variety of indices of central tendency, and they must examine the effects of moderator variables. The authors also comment briefly on the use of phi versus kappa, combining correlated effect sizes and possible hindsight biases. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Prediction of mean scores on MMPI scales.

The accuracy of an equation for predicting raw score means on personality scales, based upon social desirability consideration, was tested using 57 MMPI scales. It was found that 25% of the predicted means were in error by less than 1 point, 51% by 2 points or less, and 70% by 3 points or less. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The use of the MMPI in the selection of hospital aides.

MMPIs were administered to 2700 applicants for the position of psychiatric aide in an institution for the mentally retarded. MMPI subscale scores of all persons hired and subsequently discharged were compared with groups of like sex who: (a) were hired in the same year but resigned for reasons not associated with the job, (b) stayed in the employment of the institution, or (c) were not hired. No single subscale differentiated between the groups. The few differences which were found between the groups when a variety of configurational analyses were used did not reappear in a cross-validation sample. Conclusion: the hypothesis that personality test scores are related to the competency of psychiatric aides was not supported. From Psyc Abstracts 36:05:5LD34B. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Further comments on the internal structure of the MMPI.

The Shure and Rogers findings are examined in relation to other studies in which the factor structure of the MMPI basic scales obtained with actual data is compared to the structure based merely on item overlap among the scales. There is no direct experimental evidence that spurious correlations yield a "built-in" factor structure that is the direct cause of the structure obtained with experimental Ss in the 10 MMPI basic clinical scales. A more concervative interpretation of the Shure and Rogers findings is suggested. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Use of the MMPI with student nurses.

The group form of the MMPI was administered to 81 freshmen student nurses, and a matched group of 50 freshmen college women. The data were compared with norms published by Weisgerber (see 29: 967) and Beaver (see 29: 1484). Despite some differences, it is concluded that the Iowa nurses accord with Weisgerber's norms. Although a significant difference between nurses and non-nurses is found on Beaver's scale (comprising 65 MMPI items) however, only 13 items significantly differentiate between the groups, and 27 produce characteristic answers opposite to the ones cited by Beaver. "It is concluded that… (Beaver's)… scale needs considerably more study and validation before it could possibly be used… ." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

MMPI profiles of parishioners seeking pastoral counseling.

The MMPI was administered to 40 parishioners who had sought aid in pastoral counseling and 40 members of the same congregation who had not sought such aid. An attempt was made to control for sex, age, education, and income. Significant differences between these groups were found on 10 out of 12 scales. Using the MMPI as the criterion, the pastoral counseling group appeared to be more disturbed than the control group across a variety of psychological indexes. In view of these findings, a question was raised concerning the adequacy of ministerial training. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Acquiescence, hypontic susceptibility, and the MMPI.

The rather discouraging results of using standard personality inventories in attempts to predict hypnosis have been the subject of recent reviews. This is a report on one Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) measure (the Sum-True score) that has yielded a small but significant correlation with hypnosis for both male and female subjects. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Some relationships between the MMPI and a problem checklist.

Problem Checklist responses and MMPI T-scores were obtained for 335 male and 125 female student counselees. The most frequently checked problems dealt with educational and vocational difficulties, and males were nearly twice as variable as females in number of problems checked. "In general, there seems to be some logical correspondence between several of the Checklist problems and personality characteristics as assessed by the MMPI… [but]… Since the number of individuals in most of the high scale groups was so small… valid inference from the… results is impossible." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The relationship between Minnesota Teacher Attitude Inventory scores and scores on certain scales of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory.

"The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory was administered to two groups of… teachers at opposite extremes of the distribution of scores for the Minnesota Teacher Attitude Inventory. Differences in mean scores of the two groups on the clerical scales of the MMPI, with and without the K correction and on 'subtle' and 'obvious' items scored separately, and differences in frequencies of different codings of profiles were analyzed." Several differences on MMPI scales between teachers scoring high on the MTAI and those scoring low on the MTAI seemed to be significant. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Item popularity and social desirability in the MMPI.

While the popularity of an item is partially a function of its judged social desirability (SD), reliable item preferences also occur which are independent of a general SD variable and which in some cases may have greater predictive power. 4 analyses showed: (1) The proportion of true responses to MMPI items obtained from 10 disparate groups contained 40%-52% common variance on the average across items classed as very desirable, desirable, neutral, undesirable, and very undesirable. (2) With SD controlled, intergroup partial rs were all significant (     

Screening for malingering in a criminal-forensic sample with the Personality Assessment Inventory.

In this study, the authors examined how overreporting of psychopathology indices on the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI; L. C. Morey, 1991) performed as screening measures for malingering in a sample of 166 defendants undergoing pretrial court-ordered evaluations in the federal criminal justice system. Using results from the Structured Interview of Reported Symptoms (SIRS; R. Rogers, R. M. Bagby, & S. E. Dickens, 1992) as the criterion measure of malingering, the authors found that the Negative Impression scale (NIM) was the most effective PAI screening measure (cut score ≥ 81T). NIM performed as well as an established comparison measure from the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory--2 (J. N. Butcher, W. G. Dahlstrom, J. R. Graham, A. Tellegen, & B. Kaemmer, 1989; Infrequency [F] cut score ≥ 95T), supporting the use of either of these indices as reasonable screening measures to identify potential malingerers for subsequent evaluation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Improving the prediction of academic achievement by use of the MMPI.

ACE and MMPI clerical scale scores were correlated with grade-point average for a sample of 267 freshman women. The correlation between ACE and GPA (after correction for attenuation in the GPA) was .48; the highest multiple correlation, corrected for shrinkage, was .64. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Driver behavior and scores on the MMPI.

Are auto accidents related to driver personality? Using a paper and pencil personality inventory (MMPI), the driver behavior and MMPI scores of 993 college students were compared. Some slight relationship was found. "Knowledge of the kind of personality organization and motivation of a driver may be useful for purposes of both licensing and training drivers." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

MMPI: Professional use by professional people.

Aletter in answer to Mr. R., who inquired about the use of items relating to religion in the MMPI and pointed out that there are laws against inquiry about religious affiliation, is reproduced. "There is a well-recognized pattern of psychological distortion to which we apply the term "religiosity." There are also "frankly stated items on sex,… on body functions,… on certain occupations… " etc. Respondents "may omit any item they do not wish to answer for whatever purpose." Separate scores are derived on groups of items in the MMPI called scales; via machine scoring standard scores are derived which are "remote from the particular items that make up a scale. The MMPI is an experimentally derived instrument." If an item counts on a scale, it is on the basis of responses with well defined groups of maladjusted or mentally ill persons. "Tests are not offensive elements; the offensive elements, if any, come with the misuse of tests." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Acquiescence and the factorial interpretation of the MMPI.

Response set is a reliable phenomenon occurring with inventories using the true-false or agree-disagree format. Using the MMPI as an example of this type of inventory evidence is presented suggesting that the 2 major factors usually found for the MMPI may be rotated into positions interpretable as 2 response styles: the tendency to agree and the tendency to respond in a desirable way. Research should be concerned with how these stylistic consistencies are related to personality organization and psychopathology. From Psyc Abstracts 36:01:3HF99M. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Combined MMPI and demographic data in predicting length of neuropsychiatric hospital stay.

Data available on 316 psychiatric patients, soon after admission to a hospital, were used in a multiple regression formula and in less formal statistical techniques to predict length of stay. Demographic and MMPI predictors made possible early identification of long stay patients at greater than base rate frequency. The asymptote of prediction was reached when 6 of 24 variables had been included, suggesting that further search in the area would be redundant. Prediction with the 5 prediction schema was stable on a cross-validation sample of 352. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)