title: Diagnostic reliability of MMPI-2 computer-based test interpretations.
abstract: Reflecting the common use of the MMPI-2 to provide diagnostic considerations, computer-based test interpretations (CBTIs) also typically offer diagnostic suggestions. However, these diagnostic suggestions can sometimes be shown to vary widely across different CBTI programs even for identical MMPI-2 profiles. The present study evaluated the diagnostic reliability of 6 commercially available CBTIs using a 20-item Q-sort task developed for this study. Four raters each sorted diagnostic classifications based on these 6 CBTI reports for 20 MMPI-2 profiles. Two questions were addressed. First, do users of CBTIs understand the diagnostic information contained within the reports similarly? Overall, diagnostic sorts of the CBTIs showed moderate inter-interpreter diagnostic reliability (mean r = .56), with sorts for the 1/2/3 profile showing the highest inter-interpreter diagnostic reliability (mean r = .67). Second, do different CBTIs programs vary with respect to diagnostic suggestions? It was found that diagnostic sorts of the CBTIs had a mean inter-CBTI diagnostic reliability of r = .56, indicating moderate but not strong agreement across CBTIs in terms of diagnostic suggestions. The strongest inter-CBTI diagnostic agreement was found for sorts of the 1/2/3 profile CBTIs (mean r = .71). Limitations and future directions are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology.
authors.forename: Hina
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pant
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology.
authors.forename: Brian J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: McCabe
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology.
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Deskovitz
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology.
authors.forename: Nathan C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Weed
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Northern Iowa.
authors.forename: John E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted; D006801:Humans; D008950:MMPI; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results