title: Elevation discrepancies between MMPI-2 clinical and MMPI-2-RF restructured clinical (RC) scales in people with seizure disorders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  People with seizure disorders experience elevated rates of psychopathology, often undiagnosed and untreated. Accurate diagnosis of psychopathology remains an important goal of quality health care for people with seizure disorders. One of the most widely used dimensional measures of psychopathology is the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Second Edition (MMPI-2). Research in heterogeneous mental health samples suggests that the 2008 revision of this measure, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Second Edition-Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF), offers better construct fidelity and more cost-effective administration. This study seeks to extend research on MMPI-2-RF scale elevations to a sample of people with seizure disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a consecutive, heterogeneous sample of people with seizure disorders, MMPI-2 and MMPI-2-RF scores were compared in terms of categorical classification agreement (clinically elevated versus not clinically elevated). Scores were also compared in terms of variance attributable to diagnosis-specific items, general demoralization, subtle items, social desirability, and demographic factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Scores on MMPI-2 and MMPI-2-RF provided a statistically significant level of agreement between corresponding clinical diagnostic scales ranging from 68% to 84%. Most classification disagreement was attributable to MMPI-2 clinical scale elevations when MMPI-2-RF scales were not elevated. Regression analysis supported the interpretation that general demoralization, subtle items, social desirability, and demographic factors led to MMPI-2 clinical scale elevations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results provide evidence that in the context of strong psychopathology classification agreement, the MMPI-2-RF restructured clinical scales provide better construct fidelity compared with the more trait heterogeneous MMPI-2 clinical scales. These results should encourage clinicians to use the MMPI-2 Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF) for improved psychopathology assessment compared with the MMPI-2 in patients with seizure disorders.
authors.affiliation: Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, Redmond Barry Building, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia; Neuropsychology Unit, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, St. Vincent's Hospital, Fitzroy, Victoria 3065, Australia. Electronic address: sbowden@unimelb.edu.au.
authors.forename: Stephen C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Bowden
authors.affiliation: Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, Redmond Barry Building, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia. Electronic address: jessicawhite36@bigpond.com.
authors.forename: Jessica R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: White
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychology Unit, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, St. Vincent's Hospital, Fitzroy, Victoria 3065, Australia. Electronic address: Leonie.SIMPSON2@svhm.org.au.
authors.forename: Leonie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Simpson
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA. Electronic address: ybenpora@kent.edu.
authors.forename: Yossef S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Ben-Porath
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008950:MMPI; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
keywords: Epilepsy; MMPI-2; MMPI-2-RF; Psychopathology; Validity