MMPI-2 profiles of battered women in transition

Domestic violence is a widespread problem in our society that has not been extensively studied using psychological assessment tools. In this investigation, the psychological functioning of battered women in transition was examined through the use of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2). Thirty-one women (M age = 30 years, M education = 11.5 years) were evaluated as residents in a confidential shelter operated by Women Against Abuse. All subjects were asked to complete the MMPI-2 as well as information on their history of length, severity, and types of abuse (i.e., physical and/or psychological). Results indicated elevated MMPI-2 profiles in 90% of the subjects with the most frequent code type being a combination of Scales F, 4, 6, and 8. Scales 2 and 7, which are often associated with depression, anxiety, and other forms of subjective distress, were not consistently elevated. Supplementary MMPI-2 scales revealed elevations on scales MAC-R, Mt, PK, and PS. Regression analysis indicated significant relationships between length and severity of psychological forms of abuse and overall levels of psychological distress (i.e., F scale and average clinical T-score). Age and physical forms of abuse were not related to MMPI indices of psychological disturbance. Theoretical issues of domestic violence, intervention strategies with battered women, and the dangers of misdiagnosis are discussed.