Accuracy of MCMI classification of angry and psychotic black and white patients.
This study compared the ability of the MCMI personality scales to accurately predict anger and psychosis in White (n = 778) and Black (n = 272) psychiatric inpatients. Race-adjusted norms (Millon, 1984) were used to compute patients' scale scores. The MCMI successfully predicted anger and psychosis for both races (p less than .001). No difference was found in accuracy of prediction between Whites and Blacks (p greater than .40). In addition, the scales important for prediction were similar for Whites and Blacks. The Passive-Aggressive Scale best predicted anger, whereas the Avoidant Scale best predicted psychosis. The results suggest that the MCMI does predict accurately two important characteristics with both Black and White patients, but some racial bias remains.
Greenblatt
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Psychology Service, Edward G. Hines, Jr., VA Hospital, Hines, IL 60141.
Davis
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D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D000786:Anger; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D014754:Violence; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology*