MMPI-2 profiles of adult children of alcoholics

This study compared 69 adult children of alcoholics (ACOAs) with 30 control college students on scales from the revised MMPI (MMPI-2). ACOA subjects could be differentiated from control subjects on several MMPI-2 scales and two-scale profiles, many of which differentiate alcoholic from nonalcoholic samples. However, the length of time the child had lived in the home with the alcoholic parent and the degree of impairment associated with alcohol abuse in the parent did not moderate these findings. In contrast, MMPI-2 scales that measure impulsive and antisocial behavior did differentiate ACOAs who drank at least once a week from ACOAs who did not report this level of drinking.