Examining the Interpersonal Content of the MMPI2: Part II

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Examining the Interpersonal Content of the
MMPI-2 Part II
Lindsay E. Ayearst York University

• Abstract
• The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory
  (MMPI) has been touted as the most commonly used
  and most heavily researched clinical inventory
  (Hicklin Widiger, 2000, p. 502) in use today.
  Included in the interpretation of any MMPI
  profile is an assessment of the individuals
  interpersonal style. It is common practice for a
  MMPI interpretation to include characterizations
  of the respondents most maladaptive
  interpersonal behavior. The manner in which
  these interpretations are derived, however, is
  problematic because few of the MMPI scales are
  direct measures of interpersonal behavior. In
  2006, research was presented at SITAR that
  examined the kind of interpersonal content that
  was being assessed in a number of scales (N13)
  that had been developed for the MMPI-2 that, at
  face value (given their scale names and
  descriptions), seemed interpersonal in nature.
  Results indicated that these scales are not
  always measuring what one assumes, or do so more
  poorly than expected (Ayearst Trobst, 2006).
  The present study builds on this previous work by
  including examination of all scales on the MMPI-2
  that are routinely scored (N112). Results were
  consistent with those found previously. In
  particular, the majority of MMPI-2 scales were
  unable to effectively assess Nurturance, one of
  the two primary dimensions of interpersonal
  behaviour. The spread of variables (scales) along
  the dominance-submission axis was more even, with
  some scales being associated with Dominance and
  others with Submission, indicating that at least
  some scales from the MMPI-2 were able to assess
  this dimension. Overall, 23 of the 112 scales
  examined achieved at least moderate associations
  with the interpersonal dimensions of Dominance
  and Nurturance as measured by the IASR-B5.
• Introduction
• Interpretation of a given MMPI-2 profile
  regularly includes a characterization of the
  respondents interpersonal style.
• The manner in which these characterizations are
  derived has previously been demonstrated to be
  cumbersome and inadequate.
• Previous research (Ayearst Trobst, 2006) has
  demonstrated that a selection of scales (N13)
  from the MMPI-2 that seem interpersonal in nature
  are not adequately measuring interpersonal
  tendencies or are doing so more poorly than
  expected.
• Present research builds on previous research by
  including an investigation of all MMPI-2 scales
  that would appear in the standard scoring
  materials (N112, includes Restructured Clinical
  Scales).
• Method
• Sample
• Undergraduate Psychology Students (N405)
• 74.6 Female Age 18-53
• (Mean Age 20.38, s.d. 3.93)
• Measures
• IASR-B5
• MMPI-2
• IIP-C (results not presented)

• Table 1. Amount of Interpersonal Content Being
  Measured in a Selection of MMPI-2 Scales
• Note R² values lt .10 not included in table.
• Discussion
• Of the 112 scales examined, 23 (21) achieved at
  least moderate communality with the circle
  (with moderate defined as achieving a correlation
  of at least .40).
• Results indicated that majority of the scales on
  the MMPI-2 are unable to adequately measure
  Nurturance, one of the two primary dimensions of
  interpersonal behaviour. Best predictor of
  interpersonal warmth was the GF (Gender-Role
  feminine) scale, which appeared to be measuring a
  blend of submissive and warm characteristics.
• Social Introversion Scale Si1 (Shyness/Self-Consc
  iousness) had the strongest association with the
  Dominance dimension and therefore appears to be
  the strongest predictor of submissive behaviour
  available on the MMPI-2.
• Interestingly, Si1 is also the best (albeit
  negative) predictor of dominant behaviour on the
  MMPI-2. The strongest positive predictor of
  dominance was not the Dominance scale as might be
  assumed, but rather the Social Imperturbability
  (Pd3) scale with Imperturbability (Ma3) a close
  second.
• Comparison of the projections of the Clinical
  Scales and RC Scales reveals that the RC scales
  demonstrate a greater spread of variables along
  the dominance axis than the Clinical Scales.
  However, unlike the Clinical Scales, all of the
  RC scales are located on the left hand side of
  the circle.
• Comparison of the results from Table 1 suggest
  that the PSY-5 scales should be the preferred
  scales for making interpretations of a given
  respondents interpersonal style over either
  version of the clinical scales.
• Future Directions Limitations
• Although only results of associations with IAS
  are presented, associations with IIP-C are also
  available. As such, consideration will be given
  to projecting MMPI-2 scales on to super
  circumplex space created by joint factor analysis
  of IAS and ipsatized IIP-C scores.
• Examination of the interpersonal content
  inherent in the MMPI-2-RF scales will be
  completed as soon as these scales are released to
  the public.

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• This project was in part funded through a number
  of small granting agencies including the York
  University Research Cost Fund, the York
  University Faculty of Arts Research Grant, and
  two Small Social Science and Humanities Research
  Council of Canada (SSHRC) Grants.
• Thanks to Dr. M. Gurtman who came up with the
  suggestion to explore the content inherent in all
  of the MMPI-2 scales, given that my data allowed
  for it.