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)     

A comparison of MMPI scores of Anglo- and Mexican-American psychiatric patients.

Reports MMPI profiles of 40 bilingual Mexican-American and 109 Anglo-American psychiatric patients. There were controls for the major variables of age, sex, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and presenting problem. With K -corrected T scores, Mexican-American Ss scored higher on the L and K scales and significantly lower on the Pd, Pt, and Ma scales. Anglo-American males scored higher than Mexican-American males on the Mf scale. (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)     

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)     

Age, intelligence, and MMPI F scores.

This study was designed to determine the effects of age, intelligence, and other variables on the F scale, which is critical for Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) interpretation and research. Data consisted of MMPIs and Wechslers obtained from 407 white hospitalized psychiatric patients over a 7-year period. No significant sex differences on MMPI F scores were found. The major result was that F scores decrease with increasing age for low- and high-IQ subjects, but remain relatively constant for average-IQ subjects. Neither diagnosis nor educational level was found to affect F scores. The use of unrestricted distributions of age, intelligence, and F scores may account for the fact that these findings are not consistent with those reported by previous investigators. (21 ref.) (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)     

Correspondence between Mini-Mult and standard MMPI scale scores in patients with neurological disease.

Explored the possible utility of the Mini-Mult vs the standard MMPI in 18 patients with left hemisphere lesions, 18 with right hemisphere lesions, and 18 non-brain-damaged medical controls. Close correspondence was found between mean Mini-Mult and standard MMPI scale scores for all scales except scale 9. Although all correlations were significant beyond the .01 level, only scales L, K, 1, 2, and 3 reached acceptable levels of equivalence. The Mini-Mult correctly predicted the MMPI high-scale score only 55.5% of the time. It is suggested that the poor predictive value of the Mini-Mult for the individual, despite adequate group prediction, reflects weakness in the test rather than sampling differences due to severity of illness. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Dimensions of control: Correlations between MMPI and I-E scores.

Administered Rotter's Internal versus External Locus of Control (I-E) scale and the MMPI to 25 volunteer members of a suburban rescue squad. I-E scores correlated with 3 MMPI scales: negatively with the K and Hy scales and positively with the F scale. A comparison of these relationships with those found in a sample of alcoholics is made. It is suggested that the correlations observed indicate "that a sense of control over external events is related to self-control and competence in handling internal events." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Education and MMPI Mf scores in homosexual and heterosexual males.

Investigated the relationship between MMPI Mf, Hsx, and education in 64 heterosexual and 49 homosexual men. Ss were obtained from a variety of sources, were generally older than college students, and averaged between 2 and 3 yr. of college education. The groups differed significantly on Mf, Hsx, and Kinsey self-ratings. MMPI scale differences were found on F, K, D, Pd, Pa, Pt, Sc, and Si. Correlations of .20 and .27 were found between education and the Mf and Hsx scores. Data indicate that Mf was a better discriminator between the homosexual and heterosexual groups than Hsx, and was less contaminated by educational bias. It is concluded that the relationship between educational level and Mf appears to be more complex than generally assumed. (23 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Application of Faschingbauer's abbreviated MMPI with medical patients

Investigated the utility of the Faschingbauer abbreviated MMPI (FAM) with 3 groups of male medical patients. FAM items were extracted from the MMPIs of 94 renal dialysis, 94 chronic orthopedic pain, and 94 neurology patients. The FAM and MMPI group means were similar and highly correlated. Investigation of individual profile stability indicated an average individual correlation of .86 and 75% agreement in diagnostic group classifications. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

MMPI T scores: Linear versus normalized.

Discusses the recommendations of R. C. Colligan et al (see record 1980-11023-001), who advised that raw scores on MMPI scales be transformed into normalized T scores (rather than the more traditional linear T scores) for clinical interpretation. The present author questions the advisability of this recommendation, considering the incomparability of normalized scores from distributions with different extremes and the possibility of statistically skewed normalized T distributions. It is concluded that the benefits of the recommended switch would not outweigh its costs. (11 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

MMPI scores of counselors on alcoholism prior to and after training.

Compared the MMPI scores of male alcoholism counselors before and after a 9-mo counselor training program. All Ss were recovered alcoholics or drug addicts. Few significant standard score differences were found, although raw score data reveal considerable shifting in individual scores. Additional data indicate that MMPI Pd and Ma scores measure rather enduring traits of addictive personalities. (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)     

"Indianism" and MMPI scores of men alcoholics

Mean MMPI profiles of 40 Indian and 40 White veterans were similar, but "Indianism," as measured by the Indian Culturalization Test, was significantly related to scores on Hs, Hy, Pt and Sc scales. Caution is advised in using the MMPI in the diagnosis of Indians' psychiatric problems.     

Attributions of mental illness and judgments about help seeking among Japanese-American and White American students.

Perceived causes of mental illness and help-seeking preferences among Japanese-American and White American college students (72 men and 72 women in each ethnic group) were compared in order to investigate the reported underuse of mental health services by Japanese Americans. Results of a 2 (ethnicity of S)?×?2(severity of disorder)?×?2(gender of person with disorder)?×?2(gender of S) multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) revealed that Japanese-American students were more likely than White American students to attribute mental illness to social causes, to resolve problems on their own, and to seek help from family members or friends or both. Possible barriers to use of services by this sample of Japanese Americans include both a preference for informal resources and the stigmatization of mental illness. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Set and content scores for personality scales and response styles in the MMPI.

Set and content scores from 3 MMPI scales, Edwards SD scale, the Manifest Anxiety scale (MA), and the Masculinity-Femininity (Mf) scale, were derived by an adaptation of the Helmstadter technique for obtaining separate (acquiescence) set and content scores from personality scales. In a factor analysis of scores for 150 male college Ss on 54 variables, the MA-Set and SD-Set variables defined a common factor, but only the Mf-Set variable loaded the 2nd, or acquiescence, factor. The inconsistency of these results indicated that the set formula was not consistently measuring, or reflecting, acquiescence, or any other construct, and furthermore suggested the need for caution in making acquiescence interpretations based on the Helmstadter procedure. Some speculations were advanced to account for the disparate results of the set variables, such as the degree of true-false and SD-SUD keying in the "parent" scales. A systematic variation of such scale keying in future research may indicate what the set procedure is measuring and have potential implications for the clarification of the nature of acquiescence in personality scales. (34 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Chronological age differences in MMPI scores of male chronic alcoholics seeking treatment.

M. Gynther's (1979) general hypothesis that older Ss self-report better adjustment on the MMPI than do younger Ss was tested among 616 male chronic alcoholics classified into 5 age groups: 30 or younger, 31–40, 41–50, 51–60, and 61 or older. Multivariate and univariate analyses of variance and covariance supported Gynther's general hypothesis as well as 3 specific corollary hypotheses predicting that older alcoholics, relative to younger alcoholics, are lower in impulsivity-control difficulties and higher in health concerns, but are not different in social introversion. (8 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychophysical approach to clinical judgment of low T scores on the MMPI.

Presented randomly and individually T scores on the MMPI, ranging from 30-110, to 14 PhD clinicians in Minnesota and 18 clinicians in Kansas for evaluation of pathology. Ss showed low agreement on 2 scales (Pa and Ma) and were significantly different on 7 out of the 10 scales. Minnesota judges tended to regard low scores as representing less pathology and to view pathology in a linear manner. Limitations of the study are noted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Implications of differences in elevations of K-corrected and non-K-corrected MMPI T scores.

Presents evidence from the literature that Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) T scores for K-corrected scales tend to be higher than T scores of the same group of persons for corresponding non-K-corrected scales. This seems to be the case not only for psychiatric patients but also for medical patients and normal individuals. The principal implications are that when indexes of pathology are based on the usual cut scores for both K- and non-K-corrected scales, (a) diagnostic decisions based on K-corrected scores may result in more false positives and fewer false negatives than may diagnostic decisions based on non-K-corrected scores, and (b) which type of scale (K-corrected vs non-K-corrected) results in the higher proportion of correct diagnoses in a mixed group should depend in a predictable way on the ratio of normal to abnormal Ss in the group. (22 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)