A review of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) with low back pain patients

The article reviews the general construction of th Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) scale and the clinical interpretations of the individual subscales. Issues related to the use of the MMPI with low back pain patients are examined. Particular emphasis is paid to the diagnosis of functional versus organic pain and prediction of successful treatment. Overall, the research indicates that patients with high Hypochondriasis (Hs) and Hysteria, (Hy) scores are more likely to emit pain behaviors, complain about their suffering and be concerned with their health. The literature suggests that a simple functional/organic dichotomy does not take into consideration the complexities of the pain experience. The MMPI has significant value in predicting successful response to medical treatment. Scores on the Hypochondriasis (Hs) and Hysteria (Hy) scales appears to be particularly useful. The article concludes with some suggestions for chiropractic research using the MMPI.