The Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI) as a treatment outcome measure for psychiatric inpatients

Abstract

The Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI) is a 175‐item inventory designed to assess both clinical symptomatology and underlying, more enduring personality traits and syndromes. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the MCMI personality scales evidenced greater stability over time than did the MCMI symptom scales. The MCMI was administered to 151 consecutively admitted inpatients at an acute care, private psychiatric hospital. Patients were administered the MCMI shortly after admission and shortly before discharge. Results indicated that the personality scales evidenced greater stability than the symptomatology scales, although statistically significant changes between admission and discharge scores also occurred for the personality scales. Implications are discussed.

Discriminant validity of the illness behavior questionnaire and millon clinical multiaxial inventory-III in a heterogeneous sample of psychiatric outpatients

“…While Millon asserted that item overlap is consistent with the clinical model of psychopathology, overlapping items cause scales to be linearly dependent (Gibertini & Retzlaff, 1988;Lumsden, 1988;Retzlaff & Gibertini, 1987). Indeed, in clinical settings, Cantrell and Dana (1987), and Piersma (1986) found only limited support for the use of the instrument as a tool in the screening of psychopathology.…”

The MAPI as a treatment outcome measure for adolescent inpatients

“…Such changes are expected on the Expressed Concerns (symptom) scales; however, the Personality Style scales were designed to measure relatively enduring traits. As Pantle et al (1990) and Piersma (1986and Piersma ( , 1989 have indicated, the Millon personality style scales appear to be sensitive to mood states, especially depression. Millon et al (1982), in their discussion of the reliability of the MAPI, reported that the reliability of the test (including the Personality Style scales) for clinical populations (i.e., adolescents in treatment), is "contaminated by both natural changes in their clinical states and those fostered by the effects of treatment,'' as well as by "the fluidity of concerns typifying the teenage years" (p. 50).…”

Disturbed female offenders: Helping the ‘untreatable’

“…The schizotypal scale elevation also indicated significant decompensation and some confusion of fantasy and reality, which was reflected in the women's disorientation and their apparent periodic dissociation. This may have been due partly to the stress of the prison environment; MCMI-I1 scores on the personality scales can be affected by internal and external stressors (Piersma, 1986) and it is well known that imprisonment can precipitate psychosis.…”