Viewing the MMPI-2-RF structure through the Personality Psychopathology Five (PSY-5) lens

Ben-Porath and Tellegen (2008) recommend organizing MMPI-2-RF scale interpretive information around 3 broad topics, emotional/internalizing dysfunction, thought dysfunction, and externalizing/behavioral dysfunction, and 3 additional topics labeled somatic complaints, interpersonal functioning, and interests. That organization is based primarily on structural analyses of the Restructured Clinical (RC) scales. This study reviewed the MMPI-2-RF's scale structure when the Personality Psychopathology Five (PSY-5) scales are included. Principal axis factor analyses with oblique rotation were conducted on the Restructured Clinical, PSY-5, and Special Problem (SP) scales in 2 samples, by gender. One sample was an outpatient community health center, the other a large, metropolitan inpatient psychiatric facility. The 6-factor solution evidenced each of the PSY-5 constructs plus a general somatic concerns factor. Implications of this solution in comparison to the 3-factor organizing structure recommended by Ben-Porath and Tellegen are discussed.