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Screening medical patients for alcoholism with the MMPI: A comparison of seven scales
Author(s) -
Colligan Robert C.,
Davis Leo J.,
Morse Robert M.,
Offord Kenneth P.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.124
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1097-4679
pISSN - 0021-9762
DOI - 10.1002/1097-4679(198807)44:4<582::aid-jclp2270440415>3.0.co;2-l
Subject(s) - minnesota multiphasic personality inventory , psychology , psychiatry , clinical psychology , psychometrics , personality , social psychology
Seven alcoholism scales for the MMPI were evaluated for effectiveness in screening medical patients. Sensitivity and specificity were assessed by use of five contrast samples: (1) 736 inpatients from an alcohol and drug dependence unit; (2) 4,923 unselected medical outpatients; (3) 7,044 selected medical outpatients; (4) 214 psychiatric inpatients; and (5) 1,408 contemporary normal persons. None of these scales can be recommended for use in screening medical patients. However, endorsement of MMPI item 215 should lead to further evaluation because classification was more accurate with this single item than with any of the scales evaluated.