Clinical presentations of posttraumatic stress disorder across trauma populations: a comparison of MMPI-2 profiles of combat veterans and adult survivors of child sexual abuse.
This investigation examined differences in symptom patterns of two different trauma samples using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2). MMPI-2s of 122 male combat veterans seeking outpatient treatment for combat-related PTSD were compared with those of 64 PTSD-diagnosed adults seeking outpatient treatment for the effects of child sexual abuse (CSA). We examined variables related to degree of health concerns, depression, somatization, anger and hostility, masculine-feminine traits, paranoid ideation, anxiety, difficulties thinking and concentrating, elevated mood, and social introversion, as well as test-taking attitude. MANOVAs revealed between-group differences on several variables. However, when analyses controlled for the effect of age, nearly all differences disappeared; the only remaining difference was in a scale measuring anger. Thus, it appears CSA survivors and combat veterans are much more similar than different in their clinical presentation on the MMPI-2. Conceptual issues in the assessment of PTSD are discussed.
Elhai
J D
JD
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, USA.
Frueh
B C
BC
Gold
P B
PB
Gold
S N
SN
Hamner
M B
MB
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008950:MMPI / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data