The psychological effects of traumatic brain injury, as measured by the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to compare symptomatology evidenced by the MMPI-2 clinical scales and profiles of individuals with neurologic damage to the brain (NDB) and individuals with an Adjustment Disorder. The study was designed to investigate whether the MMPI-2 scales and profiles of individuals with NDB should be modified to account for the possible contaminating effect of "neurologic items" contained within the instrument's item pool (as espoused by Alfano, et al., 1991; Gass, 1991; Hamilton, et al., 1995). In addition, the relationships between demographic variables (age, education, marital status, and gender) and level of "emotional distress" conveyed via MMPI-2 clinical scale profiles within the NDB sample was examined. A retrospective sample was collected of 46 individuals who had been diagnosed with NDB and 46 individuals who had been diagnosed with an Adjustment Disorder by psychology staff at David Grant Medical Center (DGMC), Travis Air Force Base, California during the years 1990-1992. MMPI-2 clinical scales, overall means of the clinical scales, and clinical scale profile configurations were compared. The Adjustment Disorder sample group demonstrated a slightly greater level of symptomatology than did the NDB group, as measured by overall mean MMPI-2 clinical scale scores. However, no statistically significant differences were found between the NDB group and the Adjustment Disorder group, based on the above-described comparisons. In addition, no statistically significant differences were found within the NDB group on the four demographic variables. The results of the study provided evidence that applying a modification method to the MMPI-2 profiles of individuals with NDB, prior to interpretation, may result in an inaccurate appraisal of actual symptomatology.