Assessing Trauma-Related Symptoms Among Military Personnel Using the MMPI-3

Symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are heterogeneous, and the psychological impact of trauma varies. This underlines the need for better understanding the impact of trauma on the development of psychopathology, especially in populations where traumatic stressors are prevalent. Although there is myriad research supporting the use of MMPI measures (e.g., MMPI-2-RF) in the assessment of trauma-related psychopathology in military populations, there is limited research using the MMPI-3. In this study we aimed to address this need in a military sample (N = 190). Specifically, we evaluated how the MMPI-3 measures psychopathology among those who have been exposed to military trauma (i.e., active combat exposure and military sexual trauma) and have symptoms of PTSD. Findings reveal significant increases in psychopathology on the MMPI-3 when exposed to military traumas, with associated increased risk of elevating scores. Specifically, results highlight other areas of psychopathology that may be relevant to military experience including broad internalizing distress, cognitive/somatic difficulties, and interpersonal distancing. The MMPI-3 also demonstrated significant overlap with the PCL-5 in its ability to measure PTSD symptoms. These results support the use of the MMPI-3 as a useful tool for understanding the complex symptomology of trauma in post-9/11 military personnel.