title: Incremental validity of the MMPI-2 Content Scales in the assessment of personality and psychopathology by self-report.
abstract: The incremental contribution of the MMPI-2 Content Scales to the prediction of scores on self-report measures of personality and psychopathology was investigated. The MMPI-2, Beck Depression Inventory, State-Trait Personality Inventory, and Symptom Checklist-90-Revised were administered to 596 subjects: 339 women and 257 men. Zero-order correlational analyses indicated that both clinical and Content Scales correlated with each of the criterion measures. In all but one case, an MMPI-2 Content Scale was found to have the highest correlation with the extratest variables. Combined hierarchical, stepwise regression analyses demonstrated that the MMPI-2 Content Scales possess incremental validity vis-à-vis the clinical scales for both genders in relation to all of the criterion measures. Additional analyses indicated that the MMPI-2 clinical scales also possess incremental validity vis-à-vis the Content Scales. However, the incremental contribution of the clinical scales was of lesser magnitude. Implications of these findings for test interpretation and future research with the MMPI-2 are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Kent State University, OH 44242-0001.
authors.forename: Y S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Ben-Porath
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: McCully
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Almagor
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008950:MMPI; D008297:Male; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012647:Self-Assessment