Assessing the MMPI-based Cook-Medley Hostility Scale: the implications of dimensionality

Area of Science:

• Psychological assessment
• Personality psychology
• Health psychology

Background:

• The Cook-Medley Hostility scale, derived from the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), has been historically used to explore personality-health links.
• Previous research indicated that 27 specific items from this scale could predict mortality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the dimensionality of 27 Cook-Medley Hostility scale items.
• To investigate the construct validity and psychological meaning of the scale's subscales.

Main Methods:

• Full-information maximum likelihood factor analysis was employed.
• Analysis focused on 27 specific items of the Cook-Medley Hostility scale previously linked to mortality prediction.

Main Results:

• Factor analyses indicated that the items reflect multiple constructs, with some factors potentially representing word usage rather than distinct psychological dimensions.
• The psychological interpretation of the scale's subscales was found to be ambiguous and varied based on respondent gender.

Conclusions:

• The construct validity of the Cook-Medley Hostility scale is questionable due to its ambiguous dimensionality.
• Inferences about the relationship between scale scores, personality, and health outcomes should consider the scale's complex structure and gender-specific interpretations.