Sex Differences on the MMPI–2 Substance Abuse Scales in Psychiatric Inpatients

Sex differences on the MMPI–2 addiction scales (MacAndrew Alcoholism Scale–Revised, Addiction Acknowledgement Scale, Addiction Potential Scale) and their ability to distinguish between substance-abusing and nonabusing psychiatric inpatients were examined. Men obtained higher mean raw scores than women on the MacAndrew Alcoholism Scale–Revised and the Addiction Acknowledgement Scale, and substance abusers scored higher on all three scales. Even relatively low cutoff scores, however, on the MacAndrew Alcoholism Scale–Revised resulted in false negative rates of 37 to 39%. The results support the utility of the MMPI–2 substance abuse scales; however, lower cutoff scores should be used with women and within a psychiatric population.

Correlates of MMPI-A Substance Abuse Scales

This study evaluated the correlates of 16 scales for the identification of substance abuse with the adolescent form of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-A). As predicted, the scales that were previously validated with adolescents in treatment for substance abuse (i.e., the Alcohol/Drug Problem Proneness scale, or PRO; the Alcohol/Drug Problem Acknowledgment scale, or ACK; the MacAndrew scale, or MAC-R; the Substance Abuse Proclivity scale, or SAP; and the Psychopathy scale, or PSP) were reliably and positively correlated with therapists' ratings of behavioral undercontrol and substance abuse and negatively correlated with ratings of behavioral overcontrol. There were few reliable correlates for the scales that had not been previously validated with adolescents in treatment for substance abuse, and these scales were not reliably correlated with therapists' ratings of substance abuse.

MMPI-2 and Race in a Forensic Diagnostic Sample

This study examined the association between race and MMPI-2 scores in a sample of 211 individuals who completed the MMPI-2 as part of their court-ordered forensic psychological evaluations. Of these, 137 Caucasians and 47 African Americans produced valid MMPI-2 protocols. The two groups' mean scores on the MMPI-2 validity, clinical, content, and substance abuse scales were compared through a series of analyses of variance. Significant differences between the two groups were found only on the content scales Cynicism and Antisocial Practices, with the African American group scoring higher than the Caucasian group. Discussion focuses on the relative absence of differences between African Americans' and Caucasians' MMPI-2 scores in this study and on directions for further research.

Utility of Computer Interpretive Reports Based on Counselors' Ratings of the Diagnostic Inventory of Personality and Symptoms

The accuracy and clinical utility of computerized interpretive reports for the Diagnostic Inventory of Personality and Symptoms were explored for 540 clients of a drug treatment center. The modal profile for substance abusers was identified and the accuracy of the substance abuse scales was assessed. 9 chemical dependency counselors rated the computer reports for usefulness and compared these retrospectively with similar reports based on the MMPI and Millon's MCMI. The results suggested the Diagnostic Inventory of Personality and Symptoms accurately identifies substance abusers, provides useful information for treatment, and offers a cost-effective alternative to the MMPI and MCMI.