Affective and social-behavioral correlates of physical and social anhedonia in schizophrenia.

The association between scales measuring physical and social anhedonia, self-reports of affective response to emotion-eliciting films, and role play measures of social skill was evaluated in patients with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and bipolar affective disorder. It was hypothesized that patients with schizophrenia would report significantly greater anhedonia than the bipolar patients and that higher scores on the anhedonia scales (AHSs) would be related to attenuated reports of the experience of positive affect and poorer social skill. Patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder did not differ in ratings of anhedonia, but both groups had higher physical and social AHSs than did bipolar patients. Higher scores on the physical AHS, but not the social AHS, were related to attenuated reports of positive affect following viewing of affect-eliciting films in schizophrenia-schizoaffective disorder patients. Neither AHS was related to role play measures of social skill performance for any patient group. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Anhedonia and perceptual aberration in first-episode psychotic patients and their relatives.

One hundred eighteen psychiatric patients, each experiencing his or her first lifetime episode of psychosis, 125 of their first-degree relatives, and 155 normal subjects were assessed using the physical anhedonia, social anhedonia, and perceptual aberration scales of L. J. Chapman et al (1976; see also PA, Vol 62:3733). We hypothesized that psychotic subjects would obtain higher scores on these scales than their relatives and the controls, and we expected the group of relatives to score more deviantly than the normal controls. The physical anhedonia and social anhedonia scales successfully differentiated the psychiatric patients from the relatives and the latter from the normal subjects. These findings testify to the construct validity of the scales and suggest that they tap a predisposition to psychosis. Unexpectedly, the relatives scored lower on the perceptual aberration scale than did the normal controls, perhaps because the relatives adopted a defensive response set. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Joint factor structure of the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire and the MMPI in a psychiatric and high-risk sample.

Assessed aspects of the construct validity of the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire (MPQ), a measure of normal personality characteristics, in a clinically relevant sample through joint factor analyses of primary and second-order scales of the MPQ and the MMPI. A subsample from the Washington University Twin Study of Psychopathology was analyzed. The MPQ's primary scales and higher order factors were found to have meaningful associations with MMPI scales that served as construct markers. The MPQ taps constructs related to, although not redundant with, those measured by the MMPI. Additionally, the MPQ provides a Constraint measure that is relevant to the study of psychopathy and not represented among the MMPI clinical scales. The potential utility of the MPQ in clinical settings as an adjunct to traditional assessment instruments such as the MMPI is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social and physical anhedonia and valence and arousal aspects of emotional experience.

Two studies examined whether self-reported anhedonia is associated with 2 facets of emotional experience, valence and arousal. In Study 1, in multiple assessments of emotional experience (e.g., naturalistic and lab contexts and social and nonsocial situations), people with elevated social anhedonia (n = 40) reported less intensity of positive affect than both controls (n = 30) and people with elevated perceptual aberration-magical ideation (n = 29). Social anhedonia was also associated with providing less emotional content when describing what it is like to experience positive situations. In contrast, both social anhedonia and perceptual aberration-magical ideation were associated with increased frequency of negative affect for their daily experiences. Moreover, social anhedonia was not associated with a decrease specifically in high-arousal emotions. In Study 2 (n = 339), social and physical anhedonia (but not perceptual aberration-magical ideation) were again associated with decreased self-reported positive affect to lab stimuli. In these studies, results were not statistically accounted for by personality, current mood, or current distress. Overall, results suggest anhedonia may be associated with a general decrease in self-reported positive affect intensity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Validity of selected MMPI–A content scales.

The authors examined the convergent and discriminant validity of selected Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory—Adolescent (MMPI–A) content scales, including Anxiety, Depression, Health Concerns, Alienation, Anger, Conduct Problems, and Social Discomfort. Sixty-two adolescent psychiatric inpatients completed the MMPI–A and a battery of self-report measures of constructs similar to those measured by the content scales. Evidence for convergent and discriminant validity was generally strong, although the Anxiety and Depression content scales did not discriminate well between these 2 constructs. This finding is discussed in terms of L. A. Clark and D. Watson's (1991) tripartite model of anxiety and depression. Overall, findings support the validity and potential utility of the content scales. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Differences in MMPI scores of Black and White compulsive heroin users.

Investigated the question of racial bias in the MMPI by comparing responses of 252 Black and 120 White compulsive heroin users on both (a) empirically derived validity and clinical scales and (b) intuitively constructed content scales. Ss were male veterans admitted to a drug treatment program at a VA Hospital. In both univariate and multivariate ANOVAs and covariance of individual scales and overall profiles, Black users differed significantly from White users; the direction of differences was opposite to that reported for Blacks in previous studies of normal and psychiatric samples. Blacks scored significantly lower on 6 clinical scales (i.e., Infrequency, Depression, Psychopathic Deviate, Psychasthenia, Schizophrenia, and Social Introversion) when profile validity and the covariates age, intelligence, and socioeconomic status were both controlled and uncontrolled. On content scales, Whites displayed greater personality disturbance in Social Maladjustment and Family Problems, whereas Blacks obtained higher scores on Feminine Interests and Phobias. Results show that methodologically the question of a Black bias in the MMPI awaits additional information about the interaction of ethnicity with clinical samples; substantively, the results refute the assumption of personality trait communality among compulsive heroin users and suggest that ethnicity is an influential S background characteristic by which subgroups of heroin users might be identified. (28 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Incremental validity of the MMPI-2 content scales in an outpatient mental health setting.

The incremental validity of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory—2 Content Scales (MMPI—2; J. N. Butcher, J. R. Graham, C. L. Williams, & Y. S. Ben-Porath, 1990) was examined using clinical and content scale scores to predict conceptually relevant symptoms and personality characteristics of 274 male and 425 female mental health center outpatients. Regression analyses were performed to determine if the content scales contributed significantly beyond the conceptually relevant clinical scales in predicting therapists' ratings. Of the 10 content scales analyzed, incremental validity was demonstrated for 7 scales for men and 3 scales for women. A 2nd set of analyses indicated that incremental validity was demonstrated for 4 clinical scales for men and 6 clinical scales for women. The findings provide further evidence that the content scales aid interpretation of MMPI—2 scores by contributing additional information beyond the clinical scales. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Anhedonia as a phenotype for the Val1??Met COMT polymorphism in relatives of patients with schizophrenia.

The Val1??Met polymorphism of the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene has been associated with aspects of schizophrenia that are possibly related to the disorder's pathogenesis. The present study investigated the Val1??Met polymorphism in relation to anhedonia--a construct central to negative schizotypy. Anhedonia and other schizotypal characteristics were assessed in relatives of patients with schizophrenia, relatives of patients with bipolar disorder, and nonpsychiatric controls using the Chapman schizotypy scales and the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire. Compared with controls, relatives of individuals with schizophrenia had elevated scores on Chapman scales for social anhedonia and physical anhedonia, while relatives of patients with bipolar disorder exhibited only increased scores on the Social Anhedonia Scale. As a group, relatives of patients with schizophrenia who were homozygous for the val allele of the COMT polymorphism showed the highest elevations in self-reported social and physical anhedonia. Associations with the COMT polymorphism were absent in relatives of patients with bipolar disorder and control participants. Findings suggest that anhedonia is manifest in individuals who carry genetic liability for schizophrenia and is associated with the Val1??Met polymorphism of the COMT gene. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assessment of basic social skills.

Proposes a conceptual framework for defining and assessing basic social skills derived from the attempts of social personality psychologists to measure individual differences in nonverbal communication skills. Preliminary testing resulted in the development of a 105-item, pencil-and-paper measure of 7 basic dimensions of social skills, the Social Skills Inventory (SSI). In a series of validation studies using 149 undergraduate students, the SSI demonstrated convergent and discriminant validity in relation to other measures of nonverbal social skill and traditional personality scales (e.g., the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire [16PF], the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale). Scores on the SSI also predicted some social group memberships, typical social behaviors, and the depth of social networks. Evidence suggests that the SSI could prove to be a valuable tool for research in personality and social psychology and for work in applied settings. (57 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Correlates of the MMPI-2-RF in a college setting.

The current study examined empirical correlates of scores on Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory–2–Restructured Form (MMPI–2–RF; A. Tellegen & Y. S. Ben-Porath, 2008; Y. S. Ben-Porath & A. Tellegen, 2008) scales in a college setting. The MMPI–2–RF and six criterion measures (assessing anger, assertiveness, sex roles, cognitive failures, social avoidance, and social fear) were administered to 846 college students (nmen = 264, nwomen = 582) to examine the convergent and discriminant validity of scores on the MMPI–2–RF Specific Problems and Interest scales. Results demonstrated evidence of generally good convergent score validity for the selected MMPI–2–RF scales, reflected in large effect size correlations with criterion measure scores. Further, MMPI–2–RF scale scores demonstrated adequate discriminant validity, reflected in relatively low comparative median correlations between scores on MMPI–2–RF substantive scale sets and criterion measures. Limitations and future directions are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Clinical correlates of anhedonia and perceptual aberration in first-episode patients with schizophrenia and affective disorder.

Examined the association between scales measuring physical anhedonia, social anhedonia, and perceptual aberration and premorbid functioning, clinical state, and current level of adjustment in 91 psychotic Ss. The patients were examined at the onset of their 1st psychotic episode and again 18 mo later. For patients with schizophrenia, anhedonia was significantly related to premorbid functioning. No association was found between the scales and clinical state or level of adjustment at intake or follow-up. In affective disorder patients, no correlation was found between premorbid functioning (a stable characteristic) and scale scores, but moderately large correlations emerged between the scales and clinical state and level of adjustment at both assessment times. These results suggest that schizophrenic and affective disorder patients endorse items on these scales for different reasons. The authors hypothesize that for patients with schizophrenia the scales assess enduring personality characteristics, whereas for the affective disordered patients they assess clinical condition at the time of testing. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personality disorder correspondence among the MMPI, MBHI, and MCMI

MMPI, MBHI, and MCMI personality disorder scales were analyzed for convergent and discriminant validity. Friedman's ANOVA indicated that there were no significant differences among the sample's averaged scale scores. Further analyses of these data, however, demonstrated that the Millon instruments classified significantly more of the sample as personality disordered when compared to Morey's MMPI personality disorder scales. In addition, codetype correspondence among the three instruments was only 4 to 6%. When the instruments were analyzed in a pair-wise fashion, codetype correspondence increased to approximately 10 to 20%. These data indicate that these personality disorder scales do not demonstrate construct equivalence, particularly at the level of the individual profile.     

Substance versus style: A new look at social desirability in motivating contexts.

Although there is an emerging consensus that social desirability does not meaningfully affect criterion-related validity, several researchers have reaffirmed the argument that social desirability degrades the construct validity of personality measures. Yet, most research demonstrating the adverse consequences of faking for construct validity uses a fake-good instruction set. The consequence of such a manipulation is to exacerbate the effects of response distortion beyond what would be expected under realistic circumstances (e.g., an applicant setting). The research reported in this article was designed to assess these issues by using real-world contexts not influenced by artificial instructions. Results suggest that response distortion has little impact on the construct validity of personality measures used in selection contexts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The MMPI—2 Antisocial Practices Content Scale: Construct validity and comparison with the Psychopathic Deviate Scale.

Little is known regarding the construct validity of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory—2 Antisocial Practices (ASP) content scale or its differences from the Psychopathic Deviate (Pd) scale. In 3 studies with undergraduates (Ns?=?95, 110, and 100), the ASP scale exhibited convergent and discriminant validity with self-report, interview, family history, and observer measures of psychopathy, personality disorders, and personality traits. The ASP and Pd scales had many similar correlates, but the ASP scale correlated more positively with measures of Machiavellianism and more negatively with interviewer-rated honesty than the Pd scale. The ASP scale demonstrated incremental validity over and above the Pd scale for global indexes of psychopathy and antisocial behavior. Neither scale related highly to the absence of stress and interpersonal anxiety characteristic of psychopathy. The ASP and Pd scales, although overlapping in content, appear to measure somewhat different facets of the psychopathy construct. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The adjective check list as a personality assessment technique with children: Validity of the scales.

Adjective Check List (ACL) ratings of personality characteristics were made by the mothers of 52 pairs of grade-school twin girls. The 24 ACL scales were factor analyzed, yielding 3 factors named extroversion-introversion, social desirability, and personality traits associated with intelligence. The factors were found to be similar to those extracted from other personality tests. In addition to the ACL, the TAT, the Vineland Social Maturity Scale, the Fels Behavior Scales, 2 WISC subtests, the Goodenough drawings, an experimental Toys game, an activity interview, and background information were scored for the sample. The ACL scales correlated systematically with both direct and indirect measures of the twins' behavior, lending confidence in the validity of the ACL scales for a population of young children. (17 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Social Phobia Inventory: Validity and reliability in an adolescent community sample.

Social anxiety disorder and social anxiety are highly prevalent psychological conditions in youth. Because of the known risks associated with the spectrum of social anxiety in youth, early detection with valid and reliable assessment measures is imperative. Self-report measures have become the most widely used method of assessment for child and adolescent social anxiety. Because research to date on self-report measures of social anxiety disorder in adolescents is limited, the primary objective of the present study was to contribute to the literature by examining the validity and reliability of a new self-report measure, the Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN), in a community sample of adolescents. The SPIN is a 17-item measure purported to assess the full spectrum of social anxiety disorder symptomatology. Previously, psychometric research on the SPIN in adult populations has demonstrated its validity and reliability. In the current psychometric examination, results revealed strong support for the temporal stability, internal consistency, and construct validity of the SPIN, suggesting it is an appropriate screening measure for the assessment of social anxiety disorder in adolescents. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

MMPI scores for field-dependent and field-independent psychiatric outpatients.

Investigated the relationship of field dependency to personality traits and styles of psychopathological adjustment. 3 shortcomings of previous research were avoided by using a larger sample (N = 414), a nonprojective measure of personality, and a clinical population. Validity scales, clinical scales, and 13 experimental Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) scales were compared for field-dependent and field-independent psychiatric outpatients. Separate analyses were made for males and females. As predicted, field-dependent males scored higher on social desirability and acquiescence but lower on social introversion. Field-dependent females scored higher on hysteria, repression, and hypochondriasis but lower on ego strength and control. Overall results partially support the proposed relationship of field dependency to personality traits and modes of psychopathological adjustment. The sex of the S is an important variable in predicting specific relationships. Correlational data indicate that the strength of the relationship between field dependency and MMPI scales should not be overestimated. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Clinical utility of the MMPI research scales in the assessment of adolescent acting out behaviors.

The substantial number of MMPI research scales developed during the last 50 yrs provides a unique opportunity to compare the practical value of a large number of related scales and the methodologies used to develop them. To this end, the concurrent validity of 93 MMPI scales as measures of acting out (aggressiveness, chemical dependency, delinquency, family conflict, and school behavior problems) was evaluated in a sample of 327 adolescent inpatients. Results generally support the construct validity of the Psychopathic Deviate scale but also reveal several research scales that function well as broad measures of acting out. There were, however, relatively few scales that were narrowly related to specific behavioral tendencies. Scales consisting exclusively of face-valid items generally performed better in this regard than did scales including "subtle" items, and they appear to have greater clinical utility with this population. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Susceptibility to Type A backward pattern masking among hypothetically psychosis-prone college students.

Evaluated the Type A backward masking functions of individuals defined as vulnerable to psychosis by their scores on psychosis-proneness scales developed by L. J. Chapman et al (see record 1982-20120-001). An initial screening battery consisting of the MMPI and the Chapman scales was administered to 455 undergraduates. 10 Ss identified as belonging to a physical anhedonia group and 10 Ss with a perceptual aberration-magical ideation (per-mag) were compared with 10 normal control Ss on the visual masking task. Two dependent measures were evaluated: critical stimulus duration (CSD) in a no-mask condition and mean target identification as a function of varying interstimulus intervals. No differences were obtained in CSD values among groups. However, both psychosis-prone groups had significantly fewer correct identifications of target stimuli than did control Ss on the masking portion of the study. Results are discussed in terms of susceptibility to Type A backward masking as a potential marker of vulnerability to schizophrenia and in terms of the validity of the Chapman scales as measures of psychosis proneness. (25 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparison of the clinical utility of the MMPI basic scales and specific MMPI state-trait scales: A test of Dahlstrom's hypothesis.

Tested W. G. Dahlstrom's (1972) hypothesis that the clinical utility of the MMPI could be improved through the use of dimensionally pure personality trait and psychopathological state scales to supplant the present dimensionally complex clinical and validity scales. 508 male psychiatric patients (mean age, 37.7 yrs) were diagnostically categorized using a structured classification algorithm; discriminant functions were then computed first for a relatively untainted set of symptom, characterological, and validity scales, then for the basic MMPI clinical and validity scales as independent variates. Results fail to confirm Dahlstrom's hypothesis. The MMPI clinical scales distinguished diagnostic categories better than did the state and trait scales. Possible reasons for lack of confirmation of Dahlstrom's hypothesis are discussed, and alternative modes of analysis are suggested. (34 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)