Comparison of scores on the MMPI-A and MMPI-2 for young adults

Male college students' profiles look more pathological on the adult version of the MMPI than on the adolescent version. In the present study, men showed elevated scores on the F, Pa, and Sc scales on the MMPI-2. In contrast, women's profiles were more normal on the adult version. When designing the MMPI-A, the authors attempted to maintain correspondence with the original MMPI and the MMPI-2 so the scales could be interpreted similarly. This study compared scores on the MMPI-A and MMPI-2 by administering both tests to the same subjects (N = 43; 19 men and 24 women). Validity and standard scale scores were compared using Pearson product-moment correlations (r), T-score means and standard deviations, and average profiles. Codetype comparisons were also made. In general, MMPI-A and MMPI-2 codetype analyses did not agree. The codetype approach is not recommended for interpretation of the MMPI-A. The finding that young college men show elevated scores on MMPI-2 scales is consistent with previous research and suggests that the MMPI-A may be a useful tool for 18-yr.-old men.