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Evaluating PTSD in incarcerated male juveniles with the MMPI‐A: An exploratory analysis
Author(s) -
Cashel Mary Louise,
Ovaert Lynda,
Holliman Neil G.
Publication year - 2000
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(200012)56:12<1535::aid-5>3.0.co;2-8
Subject(s) - minnesota multiphasic personality inventory , psychology , clinical psychology , personality test , discriminant function analysis , juvenile delinquency , psychiatry , personality , multivariate analysis of variance , psychometrics , test validity , social psychology , machine learning , computer science
This is a preliminary study examining the utility of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory—Adolescent form (MMPI‐A; Butcher, Williams, Graham, Archer, Tellegan, Ben‐Porath, & Kaemmer, 1992) for identifying PTSD in incarcerated adolescents. Scores from the MMPI‐A were compared with scores and diagnostic criteria from the Post‐Traumatic Stress Disorder Reaction Index (PTSD‐RI; Frederick, 1985) for a sample of 60 male juvenile delinquents. Results from a MANOVA indicated significant differences in mean scores for MMPI‐A Scales 4, 6, and 8 for both PTSD and Non‐PTSD groups. The MMPI Supplementary PK scale (Keane, Malloy & Fairbank, 1984), developed for identifying PTSD, was adapted and evaluated for applications with the MMPI‐A. Finally, a discriminant function analysis successfully classified juveniles with and without PTSD symptomatology. In summary, the PK scale was moderately successful at identifying post‐traumatic stress reactions. Our results suggest that the MMPI‐A may serve as a useful screening measure, indicating the need for further evaluation of traumatic experiences in juveniles. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Clin Psychol 56: 1535–1549, 2000.