Assessing posttraumatic disorder with the MMPI–2 in a sample of workplace accident victims.

Abstract

In this study, the predictive capacity of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 Posttraumatic Stress Disorder-Keane (MMPI-2 PK) scale was examined in a sample of trauma victims who experienced a serious workplace-related accident and subsequent injury. In keeping with a number of previous investigations, the PK scale was largely ineffective in identifying posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) beyond overall symptom and functional severity. In contrast, sets of clinical and content scales proved to be significant predictors of PTSD. These findings suggest that the PK scale is not particularly useful in detecting PTSD in civilian trauma samples. Clinicians might be best advised to use the MMPI-2 clinical and content scales in their assessment of PTSD in civilian patients presenting with a history of trauma.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Assessing Response Style and Malingering

“…These scales, however, appear highly sensitive to general distress and are not specific to PTSD (Scheibe et al 2001), and they are not very sensitive to PTSD as well (Senior and Douglas 2000). More useful are the MMPI-2 validity scales, although most traditional indices (L, F, F-K, K) show mixed evidence of ability to distinguishing malingerers from those with genuine PTSD (Greene 2000;Greiffenstein et al 2007;Perconte and Goreczny 1990;Rogers et al 2003).…”

Psychological Distress and Post-Traumatic Symptoms Following Occupational Accidents

“…Few studies have assessed the psychological sequelae of accidents occurring in work populations for which traumatic events may be less expected and frequent but still possible, such as craftsmen, factory workers and laborers. After an accident, these workers show higher level of depressive and anxious symptoms, sleep disturbances, somatic complaints, clinical or subclinical PTSD, and poorer coping skills compared to workers who did not sustain accidents [10,17,26]. Indeed, it should not be surprising that an occupational accident occurring to such workers may also result in the development of PTSD.…”

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Controversies, Diagnosis, and Malingering

“…The MMPI-2 includes two scales that address PTSD -PS and PK. However, Scheibe et al ( 2001 ) found they are not specifi c to PTSD and Senior and Douglas ( 2000 ) found they are not very sensitive to PTSD. As for the general MMPI validity scales, the more traditional ones have been found to have "mixed evidence" in their ability to distinguish malingering from individuals with genuine PTSD [L (Uncommon Virtues, Lie Scale; Bianchini et al 2005 ), F, F-K, K (Adjustment Validity, Correction Scale; Bianchini et al 2005 ); e.g., Greiffenstein et al 2007 ;Rogers et al 2003 ].…”

“…Its Fptsd scale is not recommended. Its PK scale is not particularly useful (Scheibe et al 2001 ). The utility of its RBS scale (Response Bias Scale; Gervais et al 2007 ) is unknown.…”