Comparative validity of MMPI–2 scores of African American and Caucasian mental health center clients.

Abstract

The comparative validity of Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) scores for African American (n = 123) and Caucasian (n = 561) clients from a community mental health center was investigated by contrasting mean MMPI-2 scores and correlations between those scores and conceptually related therapist rating scales for the 2 groups. The African American men scored significantly higher on the Lie scale and Fears content scale than did their Caucasian counterparts, and the African American women scored higher than Caucasian women on Hypomania. Caucasian women scored higher on the Low Self Esteem content scale. Correlations between MMPI-2 scores and patient description form ratings were not significantly different between racial groups, indicating that the differences in MMPI-2 mean scale score elevations reflect actual differences in client psychopathology. There was no evidence of test bias in the current study. Suggestions are made for additional research.