Use of the MMPI-A to detect substance abuse in a juvenile correctional setting.

In this study, we examined the ability of the MMPI-A (Butcher et al., 1992) to detect substance abuse problems in a juvenile correctional setting. Specifically, we evaluated the Alcohol/Drug Problem Acknowledgment scale (ACK; Weed, Butcher, & Williams, 1994), the Alcohol/Drug Problem Proneness scale (PRO; Weed et al., 1994), and the MacAndrew Alcoholism Scale-Revised (MAC-R; Butcher et al., 1992) in the prediction of substance abuse. In addition, the incremental validity of ACK in comparison to PRO was evaluated, as was the incremental validity of PRO in comparison to ACK. The sample consisted of 123 boys and girls from ajuvenile correctional facility in Northeastern Ohio. Results indicate that ACK and PRO, but not MAC-R, were related to interviewer ratings of substance abuse. Results point to the superiority of ACK over PRO in substance abuse identification.     

Psychometric properties of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Adolescent (MMPI-A) Clinical, Content, and Supplementary scales in a forensic sample

In this study, we evaluated the internal psychometric properties and external correlates of scores on the Clinical, Content, and Supplementary scales in a forensic sample of 496 adolescents (315 boys and 181 girls) who were court-ordered to receive psychological evaluations. We examined Cronbach's alpha coefficients, scale intercorrelation matrices, and frequencies of scale elevations. Further, we found varying degrees of support for the convergent and discriminant validity of scores on the MMPI-A (Butcher et al., 1992 ) Clinical, Content, and Supplementary scales. This study adds to the body of literature establishing the utility of the MMPI-A in forensic evaluations.     

MMPI-A forensic case studies: uses in documented court decisions

In this article, we describe 8 legal cases reporting the use of the MMPI-A (Butcher et al., 1992) that were identified by an exhaustive search of the Westlaw database. These case studies provide a unique perspective on the uses of the MMPI-A as reflected in documented court decisions. For each case, we first provide a brief discussion of the legal issue or standard of law addressed by the MMPI-A findings. We then provide an abstract of the facts of the case and the nature of the involvement of the MMPI-A. We conclude each case with a more general discussion of the psychological uses and limitations of the MMPI-A as applied to this specific legal issue or standard. Not only do these cases display a wide range of legal issues, but they also provide an excellent opportunity to discuss some important uses and limitations of MMPI-A assessment when used as a component in a forensic evaluation.     

Diagnostic accuracy and factor structure of the AAS and APS scales of the MMPI-2

Receiver operating characteristics analysis and sensitivity analysis were used to compare the diagnostic accuracy of the Addiction Acknowledgement Scale (AAS; Weed, Butcher, McKenna, & Ben-Porath, 1992) and Addiction Potential Scale (APS; Weed et al., 1992) of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (Butcher, Dahlstrom, Graham, Tellegen, & Kaemmer, 1989) to that of the MacAndrew Alcoholism Scale-Revised (Butcher et al, 1989), the CAGE (Mayfield, McLeod, & Hall, 1974), and Svanum's scale (Svanum & McGrew, 1995) in a sample of 338 university students. The AAS was the most accurate of these 5 scales at identifying current alcohol dependence (as measured by a structured diagnostic interview) and appears to offer considerable promise as an alcohol screening instrument. In contrast, the APS performed the most poorly of the 5 scales being evaluated, yielding results that would be of minimal clinical utility. Factor analysis yielded a 2-factor solution for the AAS (Acknowledgement of Alcohol/Drug Problems; Positive Alcohol Expectancies) and a 4-factor solution for the APS (Satisfaction with Self; Cynicism/Pessimism; Impulsivity; Risk-Taking).     

The effectiveness of MMPI-A items in discriminating between normative and clinical samples.

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Adolescent (MMPI-A; Butcher et al., 1992) was released in 1992 and has rapidly become the most widely used objective personality assessment instrument with adolescents. Although the MMPI-A reduced or eliminated several problems associated with the use of the original MMPI (Hathaway & McKinley, 1943) with adolescents, the MMPI-A does produce a high frequency of within normal limits basic scale profiles for individuals with substantial psychopathology including adolescents in inpatient psychiatric settings. To better understand the reasons for this phenomenon, we compared the item endorsement frequencies for the MMPI-A normative sample with results from two adolescent clinical samples, and these results were contrasted to the item endorsement frequencies for the MMPI-2 (Butcher, Dahlstrom, Graham, Tellegen, & Kaemmer, 1989) normative sample and a clinical sample of adult psychiatric inpatients. Results showed that the MMPI-A contains a substantial number of items that do not show a significant difference in item endorsement frequency between normative and clinical samples. Furthermore, MMPI-A basic and content scales generally show a much lower percentage of effective items than do the corresponding scales for the MMPI-2. We discuss the findings in relation to the frequent occurrence of low range MMPI-A profiles in clinical samples and the potential usefulness of these results in future efforts to develop viable short forms for the MMPI-A.     

Development of an Infrequency-Psychopathology scale for the MMPI-A: the Fp-A Scale

This article describes the development and initial validation of the Infrequency-Psychopathology scale, Fp-A, for the MMPI-A (Butcher et al., 1992). The scale parallels the Infrequency-Psychopathology scale, F(p), that has been developed for the MMPI-2 (Butcher, Dahlstrom, Graham, Tellegen, & Kaemmer, 1989). Results demonstrated that the 40-item Fp-A scale is superior to the F scale at discriminating between faking-bad and accurate reports of psychopathology, although the improvement over F was modest, particularly when compared to the improvement found for the F(p) scale. The difference seemed to reflect the superiority of the MMPI-A F scale to the MMPI-2 F scale. Even so, the findings suggest that the identification of overreporting on the MMPI-A could potentially be enhanced by using Fp-A as an adjunct to the F scale.     

Type A Personality,Self-Control,and Vulnerability to Stress

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Adolescent (MMPI-A; Butcher et al., 1992) was released in 1992 and has rapidly become the most widely used objective personality assessment instrument with adolescents. Although the MMPI-A reduced or eliminated several problems associated with the use of the original MMPI (Hathaway &; McKinley, 1943) with adolescents, the MMPI-A does produce a high frequency of within normal limits basic scale profiles for individuals with substantial psychopathology including adolescents in inpatient psychiatric settings. To better understand the reasons for this phenomenon, we compared the item endorsement frequencies for the MMPI-A normative sample with results from two adolescent clinical samples, and these results were contrasted to the item endorsement frequencies for the MMPI-2 (Butcher, Dahlstrom, Graham, Tellegen, &; Kaemmer, 1989) normative sample and a clinical sample of adult psychiatric inpatients. Results showed that the MMPI-A contains a substantial number of items that do not show a significant difference in item endorsement frequency between normative and clinical samples. Furthermore, MMPI-A basic and content scales generally show a much lower percentage of effective items than do the corresponding scales for the MMPI-2. We discuss the findings in relation to the frequent occurrence of low range MMPI-A profiles in clinical samples and the potential usefulness of these results in future efforts to develop viable short forms for the MMPI-A.     

Personality assessment without borders: adaptation of the MMPI-2 across cultures

In contemporary psychology, personality assessment knows few national or cultural boundaries. Psychological tests developed in one country are often translated and adapted into cultures that might appear to be greatly different from the country of origin. In this article, I address the factors that are important to international test adaptation and examine problems that can adversely affect cross-cultural test research programs. I address qualities important for verifying the accuracy and adequacy of cross-cultural assessment. I review the extensive adaptation of the MMPI (Hathaway & McKinley, 1940) and MMPI-2 (Butcher, Dahlstrom, Graham, Tellegen, & Kaemmer, 1989), the most frequently used personality measure. I highlight several contemporary research trends in international personality assessment.     

Personality Assessment Without Borders: Adaptation of the MMPI-2 Across Cultures

In contemporary psychology, personality assessment knows few national or cultural boundaries. Psychological tests developed in one country are often translated and adapted into cultures that might appear to be greatly different from the country of origin. In this article, I address the factors that are important to international test adaptation and examine problems that can adversely affect cross-cultural test research programs. I address qualities important for verifying the accuracy and adequacy of cross-cultural assessment. I review the extensive adaptation of the MMPI (Hathaway & McKinley, 1940) and MMPI-2 (Butcher, Dahlstrom, Graham, Tellegen, & Kaemmer, 1989), the most frequently used personality measure. I highlight several contemporary research trends in international personality assessment.     

Validity of the Substance Abuse Scales of the MMPI-2 in a College Student Sample

This study assessed the validity of three Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-based (MMPI-2: Butcher, Dahlstrom, Graham, Tellegen, & Kaemmer, 1989) substance abuse scales. The scales were the MacAndrew Alcoholism Scale-Revised (MAC-R; Butcher et al., i989) and the recently developed Addiction Acknowledgment Scale and Addiction Potential Scale (AAS & APS; Weed, Butcher, McKenna, & Ben-Porath, 1992), Study participants were 308 male and female college students who completed the MMPI-2 and the substance use disorder modules of the Diagnostic Interview Schedule. The MAC-R and the APS had a nonsignificant-to-weak relationship with substance dependence as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders' (3rd ed., rex. [DSM-III-R]; American Psychiatric Association, 1980). The AAS had a moderate ability to identify the 33 study participants who met DSM-HI-R criteria for a substance use disorder, primarily alcoholism, Broadening the definition of substance abuse to a continuum of alcohol/drug problems did not alter the character of findings, These results highlight the relative superiority of direct (AAS) versus subtle (APS, MAC-R) scales to detect substance dependence and support studies that question the overall utility of traditional MMPI scales to identify substance abuse.     

Correlates of MMPI–A Scales in Acute Psychiatric and Forensic Samples

The purpose of this study was to expand the empirical basis for interpretation of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory–Adolescent (MMPI–A; Butcher et al., 1992). Participants were 157 boys from a forensic setting and 197 girls from an acute psychiatric inpatient setting. Criterion variables were identified from sources such as psychiatrist report, parent report, and psychosocial history. Results generally support the construct validity of MMPI–A scales. Scales measuring internalizing problems were more highly correlated with criterion measures of internalizing behaviors than measures of externalizing behaviors, whereas scales measuring externalizing problems were more highly correlated with externalizing variables than with internalizing criteria. Implications of this study include an expanded empirical foundation for interpretation of the MMPI–A, greater understanding of the constructs it measures, and evidence supporting the generalizability of these constructs across settings.     

Changes in adolescent response patterns on the MMPI/MMPI--a across four decades

The purpose of this study was to explore changes in adolescent self-presentation on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI; Hathaway & McKinley, 1940) and MMPI-A (Butcher et al., 1992) over a 40-year period. The primary samples used for comparison in this study include 1,235 adolescents, age 14 through 16, derived from the MMPI-A normative sample (Butcher et al., 1992) collected in 1989 and 10,514 adolescents, age 14 through 16, collected in 1948 and 1954 from Hathaway and Monachesi's (1963) study of adolescent personality and behavior. MMPI basic scale and item-level data were also included for 817 adolescents, age 14 through 16, collected by Colligan and Offord (1992) in 1985 as a further comparison. Between-sample analyses at the profile level revealed that adolescents from the MMPI-A normative sample scored significantly higher across basic clinical scales and lower on validity scales L and K than adolescents from the Hathaway and Monachesi (1963) sample, with mean data from the Colligan and Offord (1992) sample typically falling at a midpoint value. Analyses of Harris-Lingoes (Harris & Lingoes, 1955) subscale and item-level data were conducted to provide refined definitions of the contents of scale-level changes. Results were interpreted as reflecting moderate to large changes in response frequencies between eras of data collection, and emphasis was placed on the relatively high frequency of item endorsements by contemporary adolescents in the clinical direction in the MMPI-A normative sample. A series of cautions and limitations are also offered in interpreting these patterns.     

MMPI-A in the inpatient assessment of adolescents with eating disorders.

The MMPI-A (Butcher et al., 1992), like the older MMPI (Hathaway & McKinley, 1983), distinguishes between anorexia and bulimia. In this study, 245 adolescent girls diagnosed with anorexia, bulimia, or eating disorder not otherwise specified completed the MMPI-A. Multivariate analyses revealed significant differences between anorexia and bulimia on the MMPI-A's validity, clinical, content, and supplementary scales, particularly suggesting multiple impulse control problems among bulimic patients. However, profiles were also more homogeneous across eating disorder groups than in studies using the older MMPI, with high points involving some combination of Scales 1, 2, 3, and 0 for two thirds of the patients in this study. Implications are considered for understanding the common and differential psychopathology of eating disorders.     

A survey of psychological test use patterns among forensic psychologists

Clinical psychologists are frequently called on to testify in court regarding mental health issues in civil or criminal cases. One of the legal criteria by which admissibility of testimony is determined includes whether the testimony is based on methods that have gained "general acceptance" in their field. In this study, we sought to evaluate the psychological tests used in forensic assessments by members of the American Psychology-Law Society Division of the American Psychological Association, and by diplomates in the American Board of Forensic Psychology. We present test results from this survey, based on 152 respondents, for forensic evaluations conducted with adults using multiscale inventories, single-scale tests, unstructured personality tests, cognitive and/or intellectual tests, neuropsychological tests, risk assessment and psychopathy instruments, sex offender risk assessment instruments, competency or sanity-related instruments, and instruments used to evaluate malingering. In addition, we provide findings for psychological testing involving child-related forensic issues.     

A survey of neuropsychologists’ use of validity tests with children and adolescents

A web-based survey of validity test use by North American neuropsychologists was conducted, with 282 participants meeting inclusion criteria. Respondents indicated that they use a median of one stand-alone performance validity test (PVT), one embedded PVT, and one symptom validity test (SVT) per pediatric assessment. The vast majority of respondents indicated they give at least one PVT (92%) and at least one SVT (88%) during each pediatric assessment. A meaningful difference in validity use (i.e., at least a medium effect size) was only found for those who engage in forensic work, with those clinicians giving more stand-alone PVTs than those who do not conduct forensic work. The most frequently used validity measures in pediatric assessments are presented, as are reasons participants reported for both using and not using validity tests. Limitations and qualitative comparisons to other surveys on validity test use with adults are discussed.     

Why young people do not kill themselves: the reasons for living inventory for adolescents

Assessed the reliability, validity, and predictive power of a new measure, the Reasons for Living Inventory for Adolescents (RFL-A; Osman et al., 1998). A group of 206 (101 boys and 105 girls) adolescent psychiatric inpatients completed the RFL-A, Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory for Adolescents (Butcher et al., 1992), and a packet of self-report measures. Additional information about the patients including diagnosis and suicide status were obtained from their medical records. It was determined that the RFL-A is a valid and reliable measure of adolescent suicide risk potential. Additionally, the RFL-A possesses better predictive power than the Beck Hopelessness Scale (Beck, Weissman, Lester, & Trexler, 1974). A discussion of the clinical and research utility of the RFL-A is included along with suggestions for future research.     

Detecting random, partially random, and nonrandom Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Adolescent protocols

The ability of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Adolescent (MMPI-A; J. N. Butcher et al., 1992) validity scales to detect random, partially random, and nonrandom MMPI-A protocols was investigated. Investigations included the Variable Response Inconsistency scale (VRIN), F, several potentially useful new F and VRIN subscales, and formulas F-sub-2 - F-sub-1 and F + F-sub-2 + |F - F-sub-2|. Protocols completed by 150 adolescents at a juvenile court setting, screened for randomness with a matched-pair Millon Adolescent Clinical Inventory (MACI) or Jesness Inventory, were compared with 100 computer-generated, all-random protocols, and with 5 levels of partially random protocols. VRIN was the most effective scale in detecting all-random protocols; however, the optimum cutoff of >or= 75 failed to identify 1/3 of them. Using the new scales, a decision algorithm was described that correctly classified 94%-95% of protocols as interpretable, partially interpretable, or uninterpretable.     

The Personality Psychopathology-Five (PSY-5): recent constructive replication and assessment literature review

The Personality Psychopathology-Five (PSY-5; Harkness & McNulty, 1994) is a model of individual differences relevant to adaptive functioning in both clinical and non-clinical populations. In this article, we review the development of the PSY-5 model (Harkness, 1992; Harkness & McNulty, 1994) and discuss the ways in which the PSY-5 model is related to and distinct from other 5-factor models. Using different methods and measures, the dimensions of the PSY-5 model have been constructively replicated (Lykken, 1968) by Tackett, Silberschmidt, Krueger, and Sponheim (2008) and by Watson, Clark, and Chmielewski (2008), and dimensions congruent with the PSY-5 have even been suggested for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; Krueger et al., 2011). PSY-5 Scales can be scored from the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2; Butcher et al., 2001), the MMPI-Adolescent version (MMPI-A; Butcher et al., 1992), and the Restructured Form of the MMPI-2 (MMPI-2-RF; Ben-Porath & Tellegen, 2008). Because the largest body of research exists for the MMPI-2-based scales, we focus our review of the literature on the MMPI-2-based PSY-5 scales (Harkness, McNulty, & Ben-Porath, 1995), but we briefly cover the small, but growing, body of MMPI-A and MMPI-2-RF PSY-5 scales research. We show that the PSY-5 research literature includes a wide variety of psychometric methodologies as well as diverse samples and clinical problems. An integrative summary reprises the theory behind each PSY-5 construct and links it to the reviewed literature. Advantages and limitations of MMPI-2-based PSY-5 scales are discussed.     

Should human figure drawings be admitted into court?

In recent years, there has been debate about the validity of figure drawings, although surveys of clinicians in both general and forensic practice still find them to be one of the most widely used tests of personality functioning. Using both Heilbrun's (1992) guidelines for the use of psychological tests in a forensic evaluation and the U.S. Supreme Court's Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (1993) criteria for the admission of scientific evidence, I examine the admissibility of human figure drawings in court. The results suggest that the most commonly used methods for interpreting human figure drawings fall short of meeting the standards for admissibility. The use of overall rating scales, although weak in validity, appear to minimally meet these standards.     

Comparability of Two-Point High-Point Code Patterns From Original MMPI Norms to MMPI-2 Norms for the Restandardization Sample

Using records from the 1,138 males and 1,462 females in the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) restandardization sample (Butcher, Dahlstrom, Graham, Tellegen, & Kaemmer, 1989), two-point high-point code patterns generated from the original norms were compared to the patterns that these subjects obtained from the new norms. Although some code patterns proved to be quite stable across both norms, code comparability was generally lower in this community-based sample than was true for the records from samples of psychiatric patients also reported in Butcher et al. (1989). The sources of differences between the original and the new norms were reviewed, and the implications for profile interpretation based on code patterns were pointed out. The differences arising from the use of the MMPI-2 norms are appreciable; they highlight the need for new empirical data on the correlates of coding patterns based on these norms.