A short scale for predicting drug misuse using selected items from the MMPI

Abstract

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) was administered to 210 young people who either used no drugs, used non-opioids, used opioids but did not inject and drug injectors. From the data collected a short scale of 37 items was derived which distinguished between non-users and drug users. Validation was then attempted using 214 subjects who were either in drug treatment programmes or alcohol treatment programmes as well as appropriate control groups. The Drug Misuse Scale was able to distinguish between these groups. The MacAndrew Scale proved better at distinguishing subjects in alcohol treatment programmes. However, the Drug Misuse Scale proved to be significantly better at distinguishing the drug misusers. It is suggested that the Drug Misuse Scale may prove a valuable clinical tool.

On the identification of patterns of substance abuse with the MMPI–A Scales.

“…These evaluations have been based on patterns of clinical scale elevations and on scores for scales specifically developed to identify substance abusers (Graham & Strenger, 1988). At least 16 scales have been developed for the identification of substance abuse (Colligan, Davis, Morse, & Offord, 1988; Gallucci, Kay, & Thornby, 1989; Lavelle, Hammersley, & Forsyth, 1991; Nichols, 1988; Snyder, Kline, & Podany, 1985), but criterion validity (Cicchetti, 1994) has been established for only three of these scales with the adolescent form of the MMPI (MMPI–A; Butcher et al, 1992). The most widely validated of these three scales has been the MacAndrew Alcoholism scale ( MAC; MacAndrew, 1965).…”

Predicting initiation to and cessation of buprenorphine and temazepam use amongst adolescents

“…The study reported here is a follow-up of 210 adolescent drug users amongst whom buprenorphine and temazepam were commonly misused. The first interview data and method have been reported elsewhere (Hammersley et al, 1990a;Lavelle et al, 1991a). The issue addressed here is which first interview variables predict subsequent initiation to buprenorphine and temazepam use and which predict cessation of each of those drugs.…”