Comparison of MMPI profile differences among negro-white adolescents

Abstract

Broken Mean Mean Homes, Subjecb N Age IQ Percent Negro Boys 14 15.3 96.4 35.7* White Boys 81 15.0 104.5 8.6---Internalization Ratio, or the elevation of Pd from the mean of seven of the other MMPI scales. Because of the similarity of the results, both prisoner groups were combined into a general category and matched individually for age and education with 50 enlisted men who gave no history of crimes. Seven of the scales significantly differentiated these two groups. The A1 and IR did not, nor did the elevation of Pd in relation to the other clinical scales. The prisoner population studied may be d e scribed as possessing hostile tendencies, somatic complaints, paranoid tendencies, ruminative worries and as socially withdrawn. REFERENCES 1. MCKINLEY, J. C. and HATEAWAY, S. R. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory. V. Hysteria, Hy omania and Psychopathic Deviate.

Adolescents' MMPI performance, cynicism, estrangement, and personal adjustment as a function of race and sex

“…The use of the K-correction procedure has not always resulted in normal adolescents obtaining elevated MMPI scores (Ball, 1960). Differences between Ball's results and those of this study appear to be related to differences in residence.…”

“…Since results of black-white MMPI comparisons have been associated with differential tendencies toward psychopathology (Ball, 1960) and with differential cultural backgrounds (Baughman & Dahlstrom, 1968;Gynther, 1972) and since the MMPI has been used frequently as a measure of both personality and adjustment, the present study used an independent measure of adjustment and measures of cultural differences to investigate the MMPI performance of black and white adolescents equated for socioeconomic status. The independent measure of adjustment used was the Adjective Checklist (ACL) (Gough & Heilbrun, 1971), and the measures of cultural differences were the cynicism and estrangement scales (Harrison & Kass, 1967).…”

Methodological issues and racial (black-white) comparisons on the MMPI.

“…Although previous studies purported to test statistically for differences attributable to race alone, some have variously disregarded such confounding factors as sex, education level, occupation, hospital status, socioeconomic status (SES), employment status, age, IQ, duration of illness, and marital status. For example, Ball (1960) compared MMPI performance of a small sample of black and white ninth-grade students without controlling for the fact that whites had a higher mean IQ, were achieving better grades in school, and were predominantly from a higher SES class than blacks. Also, a higher percentage of broken homes was associated with the group of black males.…”

“…A review of the literature reveals 13 studies since 1939 (Ball, 1960;Butcher, Ball, & Ray, 1964;Caldwell, 1954;Flanagan & Lewis, 1969;Fry, 1949;Harrison & Kass, 1967;Hokanson & Calden, 1960;McDonald & Gynther, 1962;Miller, Knapp, & Daniels, 1968;Miller, Wertz, & Counts, 1961;Panton, 1959) related to the investigation of racial (black-white) effects on Minnesota Multir phasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) performance. Early studies in this area (e.g., Caldwell, 1954;Fry, 1949) had interests other than the comparison of the two racial groups and probed this area secondarily.…”

Racial Identity and the MMPI in African American Male College Students.

“…Most studies (e.g., Ball, 1960;Dahlstrom, Lachar, & Dahlstrom, 1986;Erdberg, 1969Erdberg, / 1970Harrison & Kass, 1967King, Carroll, & Fuller, 1977;McDonald & Gynther, 1963;McGill, 1980) have compared the MMPI scores of African American samples with those of European Americans (see G. C. N. Hall, Bansal, & Lopez, 1999). Some authors (e.g., Dahlstrom & Gynther, 1986) noted higher MMPI scores among African Americans, as compared with European Americans, on Scales F (Frequency), 4 (Antisocial Characteristics [Pd]), 8 (Schizophrenia [Sc]), and 9 (Mania [Ma]).…”