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Predicting the outcome of methadone maintenance treatment with the Negative Treatment Indicators content scale from

Robert J Craig1, Ronald E Olson

  • 1VA Chicago Health Care System, IL, USA. Robert.Craig2@med.va.gov

Psychological Reports
|February 10, 2004
PubMed

Insights

The Negative Treatment Indicators scale from the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) did not predict treatment outcomes for men in methadone maintenance. Further research is needed to establish its predictive validity in substance abuse populations.

Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Addiction Medicine
  • Clinical Assessment

Background:

  • The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) is a widely used psychological assessment tool.
  • The Negative Treatment Indicators (NTI) content scale of the MMPI-2 is designed to identify individuals likely to respond poorly to treatment.
  • Assessing the predictive validity of the NTI scale in specific clinical populations, such as those undergoing substance abuse treatment, is crucial for effective clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the correlation between scores on the MMPI-2 Negative Treatment Indicators content scale and treatment outcomes in male patients receiving methadone maintenance.
  • To evaluate the predictive validity of the NTI scale for substance abusers in a methadone maintenance program.

Main Methods:

  • A study was conducted with 108 male patients undergoing methadone maintenance treatment.
  • Scores on the MMPI-2 NTI scale were collected and correlated with five different measures of treatment outcome.

Main Results:

  • No significant correlation was found between MMPI-2 NTI scale scores and the five measures of treatment outcome.
  • These findings indicate a lack of predictive validity for the NTI scale in this specific patient group.

Conclusions:

  • The MMPI-2 Negative Treatment Indicators content scale does not appear to be a reliable predictor of treatment outcomes for male patients on methadone maintenance.
  • Current evidence suggests the NTI scale may lack consistent predictive validity across different substance abuse populations.
  • Further validation studies are recommended to determine the utility of the NTI scale in substance abuse treatment settings.

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