Level of education, diagnosis and race-related differences in MMPI performance

MMPIs were obtained from eight groups of black and white, schizophrenic and nonschizophrenic, and highly educated and poorly educated psychiatric patients. Profiles were classified blindly by use of two rules (Sc greater than 70; Sc greater than PT). All but poorly educated blacks were classified correctly beyond a chance level. Almost half of the poorly educated black nonschizophrenics were misclassified as schizophrenic. Implications for diagnostic work were discussed.