A comparison of MMPI profiles for state and private disability insurance applicants

The use of the MMPI in predicting successful rehabilitation outcomes has met with limited success. Because the motives of a disability insurance applicant may differ greatly from a disability insurance recipient, disability applicants were investigated. The MMPI scores of state disability applicants and private industrial insurance applicants were compared to a control group. Positive outcomes of test taking was possible for all three groups. Significant group differences were found for scales F, Hs, D, Hy, Pd, Pa, Pt, Sc, and Ma. Significant sex differences were found for scales Hs, D, Hy, Mf, Pt, and Sc.     

MMPI profiles of problem peace officers

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) profiles of officers who had been involved in serious disciplinary actions were compared with those of a matched group of officers who had not been involved in such actions. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) found the profiles of the two groups to be significantly different, with Scales F, 5, 6, and 9 significantly higher and Scale L significantly lower for the problem group. In addition, subjects in the problem group were twice as likely to have a high-point elevation T-score greater than or equal to 70 as their nonproblem counterparts. Overall, these results indicate that any degree of psychopathology, as reflected by MMPI profile elevations, increases the likelihood of serious job performance problems. In addition, a presentation of self as conventional and moderately defended is associated with a lesser likelihood of job difficulty, whereas characteristics such as hypersensitivity, impulsivity, and poor frustration tolerance contribute to significant job problems.     

奖赏对海洛因成瘾者执行功能的影响机制

一些研究发现海洛因成瘾者奖赏失调表现为:对海洛因相关线索的注意偏向、渴求感增加,对金钱奖赏表现出"即时收益优先"的高风险决策模式和对长时收益的敏感性降低。另一些研究发现海洛因成瘾者的执行功能存在障碍。奖赏失调和执行功能障碍在成瘾物质使用的维持和复吸中起着重要作用。双重竞争模型认为奖赏和执行功能的交互作用决定着行为的结果,但是奖赏对海洛因成瘾者执行功能的影响机制还不清楚。因此,拟使用事件相关电位技术来考察海洛因相关线索和金钱奖赏对不同戒断期成瘾者执行功能的影响机制,短期(1~3个月)、长期(18个月以上)海洛因戒断者和健康对照组被比较。这不仅有助于构建完善的成瘾理论体系,还有助于确定临床戒断后复吸的风险因素和不同戒断期的治疗目标。     

MMPI substance abuse scales on drug addicts with and without concurrent alcoholism

The range and utility of the MMPI-derived MacAndrew Alcoholism Scale (MAC) and the Heroin Addiction Scale (He) was assessed with a large sample of drug addicts with and without concurrent alcoholism. Results indicated that addicts with a co-existing alcohol problem obtained higher MAC scores than addicts without a current alcohol problem. Opiate abusers scored higher on the MAC than non-opiate abusers. No such effects were observed with the He scale. The MAC is a particularly robust scale that taps generic substance abuse and may even be sensitive enough to detect alcoholism in drug addicts.