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Psychometric deviance in offspring at risk for schizophrenia: I. Initial delineation of a distinct subgroup

S O Moldin1, I I Gottesman, L Erlenmeyer-Kimling

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO.

Psychiatry Research
|June 1, 1990
PubMed

Insights

Psychometric signs from the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) can indicate a genetic risk for schizophrenia. These personality indicators were more common in high-risk children compared to control groups.

Area of Science:

  • Psychiatry
  • Genetics
  • Psychometrics

Background:

  • Schizophrenia is a complex disorder with suspected genetic underpinnings.
  • Identifying early indicators of schizophrenia liability is crucial for etiological research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate whether Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) psychometric signs indicate a transmissible liability specific to schizophrenia.
  • To assess the utility of MMPI indicators in identifying individuals at high risk for schizophrenia.

Main Methods:

  • Evaluated psychometric signs from the MMPI in offspring from the New York High-Risk Project.
  • Compared three groups: high-risk (HR) for schizophrenia, psychiatric comparison (PC) for affective disorders, and normal comparison (NC).
  • Tested subjects aged 13-26 years before the onset of schizophrenic psychopathology.

Main Results:

  • The rate of psychometric deviance was significantly higher in the HR group (23%) compared to PC (7%) and NC (2%) groups.
  • Profile analyses revealed qualitative distinctions in personality functioning that delineated the HR subgroup.
  • MMPI indicators showed utility in distinguishing individuals with a genetic predisposition to schizophrenia.

Conclusions:

  • MMPI psychometric signs serve as valuable indicators of transmissible liability for schizophrenia.
  • These findings support the use of MMPI in etiological investigations of schizophrenia.
  • Early psychometric assessment may aid in identifying individuals at augmented risk for schizophrenia.

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