title: Reaffirming normal: the high risk of pathologizing healthy adults when interpreting the MMPI-2-RF.
abstract: Monte Carlo simulations were utilized to determine the proportion of the normal population expected to have scale elevations on the MMPI-2-RF when multiple scores are interpreted. Results showed that when all 40 MMPI-2-RF scales are simultaneously considered, approximately 70% of normal adults are likely to have at least one scale elevation at or above 65 T, and as many as 20% will have five or more elevated scales. When the Restructured Clinical (RC) Scales are under consideration, 34% of normal adults have at least one elevated score. Interpretation of the Specific Problem Scales and Personality Psychopathology Five Scales--Revised also yielded higher than expected rates of significant scores, with as many as one in four normal adults possibly being miscategorized as having features of a personality disorder by the latter scales. These findings are consistent with the growing literature on rates of apparently abnormal scores in the normal population due to multiple score interpretation. Findings are discussed in relation to clinical assessment, as well as in response to recent work suggesting that the MMPI-2-RF's multiscale composition does not contribute to high rates of elevated scores.
authors: a Department of Behavioral Sciences , Rush University Medical Center , Chicago , IL , USA.
authors: Anthony P
authors: AP
authors: Odland
authors: Andrew B
authors: AB
authors: Lammy
authors: Jonathan G
authors: JG
authors: Perle
authors: Phillip K
authors: PK
authors: Martin
authors: Christopher L
authors: CL
authors: Grote
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008950:MMPI / Q000592:standards*; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010551:Personality; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D044382:Population Groups; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
keywords: Clinical psychology; Forensic; MMPI-2-RF; Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form; Psychopathology.