MMPI-2 interpretation and stroke: cross-validation of a correction factor

Area of Science:

• Neuropsychology
• Psychometrics

Background:

• The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) may contain items sensitive to neurological conditions, potentially confounding psychological assessments.
• Previous research identified 21 MMPI/MMPI-2 items related to stroke symptoms for potential score correction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate the effectiveness of 21 previously identified stroke-related MMPI-2 items as a score-correction index.
• To examine item endorsement rates in a stroke patient sample compared to the normative sample.

Main Methods:

• Cross-validation study utilizing a sample of 50 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs stroke patients.
• Analysis of item endorsement rates for 21 specific MMPI-2 items.
• Comparison of endorsement rates between stroke patients and the MMPI-2 normative sample.

Main Results:

• The 21 MMPI-2 items identified by Gass (1992) effectively discriminated between stroke patients and the normative sample.
• Items distinguishing stroke patients predominantly contained neurologic symptom content.
• These 21 items were frequently endorsed by stroke patients, with a mean endorsement rate of 52% (range: 22%–75%).

Conclusions:

• The findings support the validity and utility of the MMPI-2 correction index for stroke patients.
• The rationale for using these specific MMPI-2 items to adjust scores in stroke cases is substantiated.