MMPI indices of childhood trauma among 110 female outpatients

This study investigated MMPI characteristics of adult female outpatients in a behavior therapy clinic (N = 110). Those reporting histories of childhood sexual or physical abuse or both differed from those who did not on global Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI; Hathaway & McKinley, 1943) indices of psychopathology and on Scales F, K, L, 4, 7, and 8. Subjects reporting abuse also reported high rates of other early traumas: witnessing family violence, parental alcohol abuse, and parental divorce. Physical abuse history was the best predictor of adult maladjustment as assessed by the MMPI. Findings suggest the potential utility of the MMPI for assessing long-range trauma effects and highlight the importance of considering multiple early-risk factors for the development of psychological disturbance.