Validity of the MMPI-2 Depression content scale with psychiatric inpatients

The concurrent and construct validity of the MMPI-2 Depression content scale was examined for a group of 62 psychiatric inpatients. Correlation coefficients with other measures of depression, hopelessness, low self-esteem, and suicide ideation ranged from .58 to .66 and were statistically significant. Also, the Depression content scale successfully differentiated patients according to psychiatric diagnosis (depressed versus nondepressed) and assessed suicide risk (at risk versus not at risk). Thus, the concurrent and construct validities of the scale were supported.