Validation and extension of personality disorder spectra scales from MMPI-2-RF items

Recent efforts have been made to develop 10 personality disorder spectra scales using items from the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF). These scales, developed by Sellbom et al. (2018, J. Pers. Assess., 1-15), demonstrated good validity and warranted cross-validation.

In all, 97 veterans undergoing neuropsychological evaluation in a VA outpatient clinic completed the MMPI-2-RF and the MCMI-III. We examined the psychometric properties of the scales and proposed additional scales based on personality constructs found in other established tests and prior versions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM; APA, 2013).

The 10 original and three additional scales demonstrated acceptable psychometric properties. Most of the 13 scales correlated strongly with the corresponding MCMI-III scale, however, DSM criteria coverage was variable between scales.

These data provide additional support for 10 personality disorder spectra scales based on MMPI-2-RF items and establish preliminary evidence for three additional scales. Further validation is needed in larger and diverse samples.