Use of the MMPI-2 in American Indians: I. Comparability of the MMPI-2 between two tribes and with the MMPI-2 normative group.
The comparability of the MMPI-2 in American Indians with the MMPI-2 normative group was investigated in a sample of 535 Southwestern and 297 Plains American Indian tribal members with contrasting sociocultural and historical origins. Both American Indian tribal groups had clinically significant higher T scores (> 5 T points) on 5 validity and clinical scales, 6 content scales, and 2 supplementary scales than did the MMPI-2 normative group. There were no significant differences between the 2 tribal groups on any of the MMPI-2 clinical, content, or supplementary scales. Matching members of both tribes with persons in the MMPI-2 normative group on the basis of age, gender, and education reduced the magnitude of the differences between the 2 groups on all of these scales, although the differences in T scores still exceeded 5 T points. It appears likely that the MMPI-2 differences of these 2 American Indian groups from the normative group may reflect their adverse historical, social, and economic conditions.
Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, P.O. Box 617, Sitka, Alaska 99835, USA. rwrobin@ptialaska.net
Robert W
RW
Robin
Roger L
RL
Greene
Bernard
B
Albaugh
Alex
A
Caldwell
David
D
Goldman
D000328:Adult; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008950:MMPI / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D044382:Population Groups / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011581:Psychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data