Race and the differential "power" of the MMPI.

The interpretation that blacks' tendency to score higher on MMPI clinical scales is due to educational deprivation has been challenged by research in which, when educatation was held constant, race-related differences remained. Racial differences in type of psychopathology have seldom been controlled in part research. After establishing that a grester proportion of black psychiatric patients may receive a schizophrenic diagnosis (Study 1), MMPI protocols of black and white schizophrenic and nonschizophrenic psychiatric patients were obtained. All patients had received 12 or more years of education. Schizophrenics scored significantly higher on the MMPI F and Sc scales and nonschizophrenics tended to score higher on Pd. No race-related differences were observed on any of the 11 MMPI scales considered.     

Personality characteristics of smokers and ex-smokers

The present paper examines the relationship between personality and smoking status in a random sample of 1257 adults. A broad sample of personality constructs were assessed to cover the major dimensions of personality. These included the EPQ, MMPI MacAndrew and Ego Strength scales, the Vando augmenter-reducer scale, the trait subscale of the STAI and the Rosenberg self-esteem scale. Factor analysis suggested that trait anxiety, neuroticism, self-esteem and ego strength could be grouped into a construct analogous to Esysenck's notion of neuroticism. Extraversion, augmenting-reducing, and the MacAndrew scale were grouped into a construct called extraversion. Results showed that smokers were the most extraverted group. Gender differences in the relation between smoking and neuroticism were found. Male smokers were much more neurotic than non-smokers and men who quit smoking, whereas there were no group differences in neuroticism for women. Both male and female smokers were high on psychoticism.     

Relationship of MMPI dependency and dominance scale scores to staff's ratings, diagnoses, and demographic data for day-treatment clients

Scores on the MMPI Dominance (Do) and Dependency (Dy) scales of day-treatment clients were correlated with staff's ratings, age, sex, diagnosis, length of time in day treatment, and level of independent living. A total of 72 subjects, 36 men and 36 women between the ages of 20 and 65 years, completed the MMPI. Day-treatment staff were asked to rate the dependent and dominant characteristics of each subject on a unipolar adjective checklist of 20 10-point scales. Pearson product-moment correlations indicated significant associations between the two scales, between subjects' scores and staff's ratings, and between scores and age. Analysis of variance showed that (a) Dy scale T-scores were significantly higher than Do scale T-scores, (b) women scored higher on Dy and men scored higher on Do, (c) depressed subjects scored higher on Dy than did other diagnostic groups, (d) apartment dwellers scored lower on Dy than did subjects living in either group homes or with their families, and (e) Dy and Do scores did not vary with length of time in day treatment.     

Couples in marital distress: a study of personality factors as measured by the MMPI-2

This study examines the relationship between Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) measured personality characteristics and marital distress and provides empirical validation for using the MMPI-2 with a marital therapy population. Studied were 150 couples in marital therapy and 841 normal couples who participated in the MMPI-2 restandardization study. The MMPI-2, a biographical form, a partner rating form, and the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS) were administered to all couples. The marital counseling group resembled previous marital counseling samples studied with the MMPI and scored significantly higher than the normative sample on several MMPI-2 scales. Relationships between the DAS and MMPI-2 clinical and content scale scores are reported. The Psychopathic Deviate (Pd) clinical scale and Family Problems (FAM) content scale were the most powerful group discriminators and strongest correlates of the DAS; their use as indices of marital distress is tested. The meaning of Pd as an index in assessing personality factors in marital distress is explored.     

Risk taking as motivation for volunteering for a hazardous experiment

Army male enlisted personnel were tested in two experiments to assess the psychological correlates of volunteering for a hazardous combat simulation, (Experiment 1) and a riskless, psychological experiment (Experiment 2). Subjects were given a biographical and personal habit questionnaire, the IPAT Anxiety Scale, Rotter's Locus of Control Scale, and Torrance and Ziller's life experience inventory. Results from Experiment 1 indicated that volunteers were significantly less anxious, and more willing to take risks than were nonvolunteers. Noncommissioned officers, smokers, laterborn children, and children of lower socioeconomic class parents were significantly overrepresented among the volunteers for this hazardous experiment. In Experiment 2, which solicited volunteers for a routine, nonhazardous experiment, the only variable to discriminate the volunteers from the nonvolunteers was mothers' education level. Results are in agreement with findings, using college students, that volunteer samples differ significantly from nonvolunteer samples, and that the characteristics that discriminate these two groups vary as a function of situational factors.     

Personality predictors of smoking behavior in a sample of physicians

Abstract

The smoking status of 239 physicians was obtained from a mail survey in 1981. MMPI data, which had been obtained from these men 25 years earlier, was used to prospectively predict smoking status at follow-up. Those who never smoked had scores indicative of social conventionality (low scores on L, Pd, and Schubert scales; high scores on Ego-control). A similar pattern was found among smokers who quit after a relatively short smoking history. Compared to ex-smokers, those who continued to smoke at the time of follow-up were characterized by high scores on the Pd and Ma scales. These results were discussed in terms of a multi-stage conceptualization of the smoking cessation process.     

MMPI and nightmare reports in women addicted to alcohol and other drugs

In a sample of 78 female alcohol and drug addicts, 24.4% marked True the Item 31 ("I have nightmares every few nights") of the MMPI. The proportion is significantly higher than in normative MMPI data of normal US Midwest women published by Coligan: only 8.2% of the latter marked the item True. The female alcohol and drug addicts who marked the item True differed from those responding with False by higher scores on Schizophrenia, Psychasthenia, Paranoia, Anxiety, Depression, Psychopathic Deviate, and Social Introversion scales and by lower scores on Ego Strength scale. Nightmare sufferers consistently scored in a more pathological direction.     

Personality characteristics of research volunteers

We evaluated Big Five personality factor differences between research volunteers and nonvolunteers. In the first study, 158 military officers were asked to participate in a mail survey. The personality scores of the officers were available from an archival data set. In our second study, adult siblings from large families were invited to participate in extensive clinical epidemiological evaluations. The personality scores of volunteers (N = 55) and nonvolunteers from the same families (N = 29) were estimated from sibling ratings made by those who participated in the study. In both studies, respondents, compared to nonrespondents, were found to be significantly lower in Neuroticism and higher in Conscientiousness. The second study further indicated respondents as being higher in Extraversion and Agreeableness. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sociodemographic and Lifestyle Correlates of Health-Related Quality of Life in Croatian University Students

The purpose of this study was to assess the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in a sample of Croatian university students and to determine its association with sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics. The study was conducted on a random sample of 1750 students in Zagreb, Croatia. We used the 12-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12v2) and separate questions on sex, age, body mass index (BMI), settlement size, disposable income, cigarette consumption, alcohol consumption, and exercise frequency. The HRQoL scale on which Croatian students scored the highest was Physical Functioning. High mean scores were also found for other physical health measures, while the scores in mental health scales were somewhat lower. Male students scored significantly higher than females on all SF-12 scales (p?<?0.05). The regression analysis showed that Physical Component Summary score (PCS) is negatively related to BMI (partial r?=??0.09) and cigarette consumption (partial r?=??0.06), and positively related to alcohol consumption and exercise frequency (partial r?=?0.08, for both), while Mental Component Summary score (MSC) is positively related to BMI (partial r?=?0.07) and exercise frequency (partial r?=?0.10). Although HRQoL-scores for the Croatian students were higher than in the general population of Croatia and student populations in several other countries, there is still room for improvement, especially in the mental health aspect. In general, HRQoL was found to be significantly lower among females and smokers, but positively related with exercise frequency. In order to improve students’ HRQoL, university authorities should consider initiating health-promotion programs with emphasis on females, smokers and non-exercisers.     

The development of a smoking-specific locus of control scale

Abstract

A 32-item questionnaire was designed to measure multidimensional locus of control beliefs specifically about giving up smoking (SLC Scale), and administered along with the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale (MHLC) and a short smoking information questionnaire to 211 smokers. Psychometric analyses of the SLC scales included a series of repeated factor and reliability analyses which resulted in a final three-factor solution, containing 11 of the original SLC items. The three factors represented the following types of locus of control for smoking: a combined Internal-Chance factor, a Significant Others factor, and a Powerful Others factor with Chronbach's alpha coefficients of internal reliability of 0.63, 0.56 and 0.55 respectively. Analyses relating to the reliability and validity of the SLC scale are presented and discussed. As expected the SLC correlated more sensibly and significantly with subjects' reported behaviour and intentions regarding giving up smoking than did the MHLC scales.     

Cursing as a Form of Risk-Taking

The research investigated the relationships among cursing, risk-taking (i.e., drinking, smoking, using illegal drugs, and engaging in risky sexual behavior), and personality variables that have been shown to be related to risk-taking (i.e., sensation-seeking and Big-Five personality factors). In a study with 360 participants, the results showed that for both men and women, those who took more risks in daily life also reported cursing more than others. Men and women who scored higher on disinhibition and experience-seeking reported taking more risks and cursing more than others. Men and women who scored higher in conscientiousness reported taking fewer risks and reported cursing less than others. The results of a multiple regression analyses showed that frequency of curse word usage was predicted by disinhibition and risk-taking, and cursing behavior was predicted by disinhibition, risk-taking, and emotional stability. Overall men reported taking more risks and cursing more often than women; however, in the multiple regression analyses, participant sex was not among the significant predictors. Theoretical implications and directions for future research are discussed.     

Sex differences in psychological burnout in teachers

Sex differences in levels of experienced psychological burnout, and in antecedents and consequences, were examined among teachers and department heads. Male teachers reported greater burnout and less job satisfaction than did female teachers. Although male department heads scored significantly higher on psychological burnout, there were no sex differences on measures of satisfaction and emotional well-being. The findings are explained in terms of sex differences in levels of social support.     

Extraversion,Neuroticism, and Psychoticism as Measured by Eysenck's Inventories in Iran

Summary

This paper presents results obtained with a slightly modified version of the Persian form of the EPI (PEPI) which also included Eysencks' recently published psychoticism scale. Subjects were 1009 Iranian secondary school graduates (768 boys and 241 girls) aged between 18 and 20 years taking the Pahlavi University entrance examination. Retesting of a small group of subjects under ordinary conditions showed little distortion of the mean scores that might be attributed to the highly competitive test situation. The test retest reliability of the scales over a five-month period, however, was undesirably low, except for the N-scale. The P-scale was found to correlate positively with neuroticism. Iranian female subjects had scored higher than their male counterparts on neuroticism but lower on both extraversion and psychoticism. In comparison with British norms, Iranian subjects had scored higher on both N and P scales, the difference on the latter being particularly striking. These findings are discussed in the light of earlier findings with the PEPI and some tentative explanations for the observed national differences are suggested.     

Behavioral,psychological, and historical correlates of MacAndrew scale scores among male alcoholics

Male alcoholic veterans (N=194) were divided into four groups on the basis of their scores on the MacAndrew scale (MAC) of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and compared on psychological and sociodemographic measures and self-reported alcohol, drug, and legal histories. Nineteen subjects scored in the nonalcoholic (NA) range of the MAC (i.e., false negatives, MAC23). Remaining subjects, scoring in the alcoholic range of the MAC, were divided into thirds by MAC scores (lowest third, L-MAC=24–28,n=53; middle third, M-MAC=29–31,n=63; highest third, H-MAC>31,n=59). Groups did not differ on age, any important sociodemographic variables, or scores on the Profile of Mood States, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Symptom Checklist-90, or Rod and Frame Test. Significant group differences were obtained on several MMPI scales. Lower MAC scores were associated with higher scores onL, K, D, andR, and lower scores onMa. There was also a tendency for subjects with lower MAC scores to score higher onSi. NA subjects began drinking and heavy drinking later than other subjects, although groups did not differ on duration, quantity, or frequency of drinking. Subjects with higher MAC scores more often reported drinking in bars, drinking liquor straight, alcohol-related job disruptions, and previous use of marijuana, hallucinogens, and barbiturates. Subjects with higher MAC scores had more often been arrested, convicted, fined, and jailed for alcohol-related offenses but not for other offenses. Results are examined with respect to MacAndrew's distinction between primary and secondary alcoholics and with respect to the possible relations of MAC to important person variables such as sensation seeking.The authors wish to thank Craig MacAndrew for his helpful critical reading of an early draft of this paper. We also thank Theresa Hilliard, Shirley White, Vicki Brumbelow, and Pam Thompson for editorial assistance and Audrey Jefferson for help with data preparation.     

Characteristics of the frequent nightmare sufferer.

Previous research has found that persons who experience frequent nightmares score highly on scales that measure psychotic symptomatology. Neurotic symptoms have also been implicated as correlates of nightmare frequency. In this study, 30 adult lifelong nightmare sufferers were compared with 30 control subjects, matched for age, sex, and socioeconomic status. Subjects were asked to record all dreams for 1 month and to complete the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ). Nightmare subjects scored significantly higher on the EPQ Neuroticism scale and on 8 MMPI clinical scales than did the control group. These scales also best discriminated between the groups in a direct discriminant analysis. The results are interpreted as a reflection of global maladjustment rather than of specific psychotic symptomatology.     

Motor vehicle accident trauma exposure: Personality profiles associated with posttraumatic diagnoses

Abstract

Personality profiles associated with diagnostically distinct posttraumatic responses were examined. Profiles were compared between three groups defined on the basis of posttraumatic diagnosis following motor vehicle accident (MVA) trauma exposure. The diagnostic groups were: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) without progression to PTSD, and subclinical responses. Participants were male and female community volunteers aged 18 to 77 (N = 83) who had all been exposed to an MVA meeting the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for a traumatic event. The Personality Assessment Inventory (Morey, 1991) was used to assess psychological variables in the framework of posttraumatic diagnostic groups. The PTSD group scored significantly higher than the ASD and subclinical groups on scales assessing somatic complaints, anxiety, anxiety related disorders, depression, non-psychotic symptoms of schizophrenia, and negative relationships. The profile of the ASD group was characterized by self report of greater interpersonal warmth and a trend for greater egocentricity than the PTSD group. There were no significant differences in the personality profiles of the ASD and subclinical groups. The role of personality factors in posttraumatic adjustment is discussed in the context of previous literature.     

Three scales of alexithymia: do they measure the same thing?

The psychometric properties of three scales of alexithymia were examined in a sample of 187 female undergraduates. The Shalling Sifneos Personality Scale (SSPS) and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) Alexithymia scale had little internal consistency. The scored archetypal test with nine elements (SAT9) had very low interrater reliability. As predicted, the tree measures were not significantly related to one another and the SSPS had a more clearly defined factor structure than the MMPI scale. The MMPI and SSPS scales were differentially related to measures of symptomatology but were similarly related to extraversion, absorption, and SAT scores. Of the three scales, the SSPS appeared to have the highest content validity. The results suggest that alexithymia is not a unitary construct and that its reification as such may be premature.     

The Impact of Theory on Psychological Testing: How Psychoanalytic Theory Makes Diagnostic Testing More Enjoyable and Rewarding

The psychometric properties of three scales of alexithymia were examined in a sample of 187 female undergraduates. The Shalling Sifneos Personality State (SSPS) and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality inventory (MMPI) Alexithymia scale had little internal consistency. The scored archetypal test with nine elements (SAT) had very low interrater reliability. As predicted, the three measures were not significantly related to one another and the SSPS had a more clearly defined factor structure than the MMPI scale. The MMPI and SSPS scales were differentially related to measures of symptomatology but were similarly related to extraversion, absorption, and SAT scores. Of the three scales, the SSPS appeared to have the highest content validity. The results suggest that alexithymia is not a unitary construct and that its reification as such may be premature.