Little research has focused on the clinical correlates of adolescents' Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) special scale responses. We investigated the clinical correlates of the MacAndrew Alcoholism Scale (MAC), Anxiety (A), Repression (R), and Ego Strength (Es) scales, based on self-reported data from 68 inpatient adolescents and ratings by their nursing staff and individual therapists. Parametric and nonparametric analyses revealed patterns of clinically relevant descriptors for these scales in a manner largely consistent with findings derived from studies of adult respondents. Results are discussed in terms of implications for interpretation of each of these special scales and in relation to a general approach to understanding adolescents' MMPI profiles.

The history of the application of computer technology to mental health care delivery is reviewed. Three separate trends are identified which suggest movement from batch processing administrative systems toward the development of interventionally relevant clinical systems based upon on-line computer technology. Suggestions for future research are made.Computers first became widely available to behavioral scientists during the early 1960s. At that time, mental health professionals were optimistic that applications of this technology would lead to major innovations in health care delivery. This paper presents: a historical survey of the subsequent attempts to apply computer technology to bring about these hoped for innovations in health care delivery. a discussion of what has been learned to date from these early attempts. and suggestions for future research. It is hoped. thereby. to present a conceptual statement which is based upon previous reports in the scientific literature. our own efforts and experiences with the Utah Project. and extended discussions with other researchers in the field. As a general theme. we shall attempt to document the evolution from early applications of batch processing computer technology to mental health administrative systems. to what we have come to view as interventionally relevant clinical systems supported by on-line computer technology. The impetus for this

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The utility of an on-line computer system for psychiatric patient evaluations is discussed. The on-line syste~implemented at the Psychiatric Service of the Salt Lake City VA Hospital is functionally described. Hardware and systems programming are specified. A system for real-time psychological assessment and evaluation of psychiatric patients has been installed at the VA Hospital in Salt Lake City. This system was designed to perform three distinct functions: (1) to collect standardized intake data through the use of an on-line computer system; (2) to provide real-time translation of these data into narrative reports useful for clinical decision making at intake; and (3) to provide management information as an aid to better administrative decision making. This paper describes that system. At the Salt Lake City VA Hospital. the Psychiatric Service has been subdivided into functional service delivery units. A Psychiatric Assessment Unit (PAU) has been established to monitor patient tlow throughout the entire service. All patients are evaluated by the PAU prior to entry into a treatment unit, at the time of discharge from treatment. and several months following discharge. The PAll uses results from these evaluations to assist in making decisions regarding patient treatment. The computer system is an integral part of this new approach to mental health care delivery in that it makes possible real-time evaluations. and thus decision making based upon summaries derived from analyses of a comprehensive clinical data base. There are compelling reasons why a clinical evaluations unit should function independently of the treatment system it is meant to monitor. Nonetheless, this functional separation has been difficult to achieve in the past because of the great time requirements of comprehensive, standardized patient evaluations. In traditional practice. many days elapse before the physician has completed and reported results from This project has been supported by contracts from the Health Services Research and Development Service. Veterans Administration Central Office. Mr. Kenneth Hayes.