Adult psychopathology on the MMPI and dysfunctional families of origin

Adults who were raised in dysfunctional families demonstrate psychopathology on the MMPI. 396 (140 men, 256 women) adult clients (mean age = 35 yr.) from dysfunctional families who were seeking treatment at a university counseling center were administered the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory. Analysis showed significantly elevated scores on F, Total Pathology, Depression, Psychopathic Deviance, Psychasthenia, Schizophrenia, and Social Introversion scales by these subjects from families with a history of physical, sexual, emotional abuse, or alcoholism. This study contributes to the growing body of empirical research on the relationship between dysfunctional families of origin and adult psychopathology.