The German Adaptation and Standardization of the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI)

We developed the German Adaptation of the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI; Morey, 1991) under careful consideration of current adaptation literature and guidelines. The adaptation process included the translation of the 344 items into German, a back translation into English as well as the testing of the language equivalence using a bilingual sample. We then standardized the final German version of the PAI for the German population. We compared the American and German norm and reliability data. The observed differences in PAI scale means did not exceed 5 T scores. Internal consistency reliability showed a similar pattern in both language versions, although the German alpha coefficients were on average slightly lower than the American ones. Factor structure was similar in both versions. We discuss expectations about the German PAI and possible problems for its practical usefulness for the German-speaking population.     

The German Adaptation and Standardization of the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI)

An attempt was made to evaluate the relationship between left-handedness and oppositional tendencies through the use of the White Space (S) response on the Rorschach. Right and left-handed males were administered the Rorschach, and it was found that the left-handed subjects gave significantly more S responses than did the right-handed males. It was felt that the results of this study indicated the existence of a relationship between hand-preference and oppositional tendency. Caution was raised concerning the assumption that oppositional tendencies foster left-handedness. It was pointed out that opposition could also be produced by being left-handed.     

A Multitrait-multimethod examination of Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI)

Recently, certain Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI) scales have seen increasing usage for the measurement of DSM-III personality disorders. The current study sought to identify the convergent and discriminant validity of these two sets of scales for this purpose. In general, the results indicated significant convergence across the two instruments. However, better convergent validity was found for scales representing those DSM-III disorders which are most consistent with the typology upon which the MCMI was based. In particular, convergent and discriminant validity results were poorest for Compulsive, Antisocial, and Passive-Aggressive personality scales.     

Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) Profiles of Male Veterans With Combat-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

The Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI; L. C. Morey, 1991) is a promising tool for the assessment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), but few studies have examined the PAI profiles of individuals with the diagnosis. In this study, the PAI was administered to 176 combat veterans with PTSD. Results showed significant elevations on scales measuring depression, somatic complaints, anxiety, anxiety-related disorders, schizophrenia, and negative impression management. The Traumatic Stress subscale was the highest point in the mean score profile and was moderately correlated with several established measures of PTSD. Veterans with and without comorbid major depression differed on PAI scales assessing depression, anxiety, and warmth. Analysis of two-point codetypes for the PAI and the MMPI-2 revealed substantial heterogeneity in symptom endorsement on both instruments, suggesting that there may be no clear PTSD profile on either instrument. Results provide a reference point for future work with the PAI in PTSD samples.     

Assessing Male Batterers With the Personality Assessment Inventory

Despite the importance of the assessment of ego strength for appropriate assignment of clients for psychotherapy and/or rehabilitation, existing techniques have not fulfilled expectations. A method for assessing ego strength through the Rorschach Test independent of clinical criterion is proposed. In addition to certain variables of Klopfer's RPRS (M+, FM+, FC+ plus CF+), sharply preceived space responses are included. They constitute a highly intercorrelated global measure of ego strength and are also highly correlated to a relatively independent Rorschach variable of global ego efficiency, i.e. integrated whole responses. In accordance with prediction, non-controlled color responses as well as accuracy of form perception did not correlate in a non-clinical sample with either measure of ego strength.     

Clinical validation of the Chinese Personality Assessment Inventory

The clinical validity of the Chinese Personality Assessment Inventory (CPAI; F. M. Cheung, K. Leung, et al., 1996) was examined in 2 studies involving a group of 167 male prisoners in Hong Kong and a group of 339 psychiatric patients in China. Elevated scores on the clinical scales were obtained for the clinical samples. Logistic regression analyses confirmed that the CPAI scales were useful in differentiating between male prisoner and the Hong Kong male normative sample and between psychiatric patients and a random sample of normal adults in China. Multivariate analyses of variance results showed significant differences on the CPAI clinical scales and personality scales among subgroups of psychiatric patients with diagnoses of bipolar, schizophrenic, and neurotic disorders. The usefulness of an indigenous personality inventory is discussed.     

Assessing male batterers with the Personality Assessment Inventory

In this study, we sought to provide empirical data on the utility of the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI; Morey, 1991) for the assessment of male batterers. The sample consisted of 93 men who were court mandated to treatment. In the study, we were able to replicate 2 of 3 clusters (borderline/dysphoric and nonelevated) commonly found in the literature on male batterers; however, we only partially replicated the 3rd cluster (antisocial/narcissistic). This new finding may reflect a difference in the assessment instrument used to assess male batterers (i.e., PAI). In this study, we also investigated a previously understudied subgroup of batterers, specifically, men who engage in positive impression management. In this study, we conclude that the PAI is a potentially useful instrument in assessing male batterers and provide suggestions for future research.     

A General Factor of Personality in the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III, the Dimensional Assessment of Personality Pathology, and the Personality Assessment Inventory

A General Factor of Personality (GFP) occupies the apex of the hierarchy in three prominent personality disorder inventories. On the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III, a GFP accounted for 41% of the variance in two second-order factors, 31% of the variance in five first-order factors, and 26% of the variance in all 24 scales. On the Dimensional Assessment of Personality Pathology, a GFP accounted for 61% of the variance in six first-order factors and 36% of the variance in all 18 scales. In a cross-validation study of the Personality Assessment Inventory, a GFP accounted for 65% of the variance in two second-order factors, 47% of the variance in five first-order factors, and 27% of the variance in all 18 scales.     

Clinical Validity of a Personality Inventory for Children (PIC) Profile Typology

We evaluated the validity of a profile typology for the Personality Inventory for Children (PIC), a parent-informant measure of child psychiatric status. For referred children, we studied (a) the convergence of PIC profile types with diagnoses according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd ed., American Psychiatric Association, 1980) and (b)the incremental validity of the PIC over diagnoses in the prediction of symptom ratings completed by teachers and clinicians. We found a high diagnosis-PIC correspondence only for developmentally disordered children: the overlap for children with emotional-conduct problems was poor. For the latter group, however, the correlation of diagnoses with symptom ratings was low, but the incremental validity of the PIC over diagnoses was high. We discuss the use of this profile typology in the clinical evaluation of children and present a case example.