| Affiliation: | (1) Boston VA Healthcare System, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts;(2) Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama;(3) Durham, NC VA Medical Center, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina;(4) Durham, NC VA Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina;(5) Boston VA Healthcare System, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts |
| Abstract: | 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. |
