MMPI-2 profiles of Australian and Singaporean psychiatric patients

The use of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) as a useful measure of psychopathology has been shown in extensive studies. However, there is limited research on the ability of the MMPI-2 to measure differences across diverse cultures. This study aims to extend the research on Caucasian-Chinese MMPI profiles to the countries of Singapore and Australia by examining cross-nation variations. Participants were recruited from psychiatric outpatient clinics and consisted of 70 and 107 patients from Singapore and Australia, respectively. It was predicted that similarities across the two cultures would be observable, with differences reflected on specific scales. The overall findings indicate that MMPI-2 profile comparisons are comparable between Australian and Singaporean subjects, with considerably more similarities than differences. However, there are significant differences on specific MMPI-2 subscales including the lie, hypochondriasis, Addiction Potential Scale, overcontrolled hostility, fears, health concerns and negative treatment indicators. It is suggested that the differences are a reflection of cultural and ethnic distinctions specific to each country, whereas the commonalities between the two nations indicate comparable overall profiles.