MMPI differences for renal, psychiatric, and general medical patients

Renal failure has both medical and psychological implications. Indeed, various psychiatric problems related to end-stage renal disease have been reported in the literature; however, the focus has been on anxiety and depression. While previous research has dealt with the comparisons of patients with renal failure, few studies have investigated the comparison of renal patients with psychiatric and general medical patients. The present study compared renal patients (N = 24) with a group of depressed psychiatric patients (N = 24) and a group of general medical patients (N = 24) on the MMPI. The results suggested that the renal group presented a psychological profile that more closely resembled that of the depressed psychiatric group than that of patients with other chronic medical conditions.