Mexican Americans' performance on the MMPI as a function of level of acculturation

Abstract

Previous researchers have concluded that differences in MMPI performance between Anglo and Mexican American surnamed subjects were due to cultural differences. The present research directly investigated this assumption by comparing MMPI scale score differences of 365 Anglo and Mexican American college students, with Acculturation, Age, and Socioeconomic status statistically controlled. Anglos scored significantly differently from Mexican American subjects on 10 of the 13 MMPI scales. With Acculturation and Age statistically controlled, however, Anglo vs. Mexican American subjects differed on only the L and MF scales. These results support previous conclusions that most MMPI differences between Anglo and Mexican American subjects are due to culture, or Acculturation. Our results are consistent with major findings within the MMPI literature and also support the hypothesis that personality differences identified by the L and MF scales reflect genuine characteristics of the Mexican‐American culture.

Comparison of anglo- and mexican-americans on the 16PF administered in spanish or english

“…The number of studies that compared Anglo-and Mexican-Americans on objective personality instruments has been sparse. Even utilizing the most popular inventory, the MMPI, only 11 studies that compared the two groups have been conducted (Montgomery & Orozco, 1985;Whitworth, 1988). Five of these studies employed deviant (prison, psychiatric, or addicted) populations, and six involved normal groups, including college students.…”

Mexican American Adolescents' Performance on the MMPI-A

“…Critics (e.g., Dana, 1995;Dana & Whatley, 1991;Malgady et al, 1987,) argue that the MMPI (adult version) is racially biased against minority groups and results in overpathologizing members of diverse cultural groups. The basis of their criticism is the fact that some researchers (e.g., Montgomery & Orozco, 1985;Whitworth & Unterbrink, 1994) have found statistically significant differences in MMPI performance between Whites and Hispanics. However, despite the two ethnic groups' differential profiles, the largest T-score difference between Whites and Hispanics on the Clinical scales was 5.6 (with an average T-score difference of 2.6) in Montgomery and Orozco's (1985) study and 5.0 (with an average T-score difference of 2.2) in Whitworth and Unterbrink's (1994) study.…”

“…The basis of their criticism is the fact that some researchers (e.g., Montgomery & Orozco, 1985;Whitworth & Unterbrink, 1994) have found statistically significant differences in MMPI performance between Whites and Hispanics. However, despite the two ethnic groups' differential profiles, the largest T-score difference between Whites and Hispanics on the Clinical scales was 5.6 (with an average T-score difference of 2.6) in Montgomery and Orozco's (1985) study and 5.0 (with an average T-score difference of 2.2) in Whitworth and Unterbrink's (1994) study. Although these differences were statistically significant, they are inconsequential from a clinical standpoint and were likely the artifactual results of large sample sizes (Whitworth & Unterbrink, 1994).…”

“…Further, with the exception of Diaz, Nogueres, and Draguns' (1984) publication of Puerto Rican adolescemts~erformance on a Spanish translation of the MMPI adult version, studies on Hispanic adolescents and the MMPI adult version are also absent in the literature. There are a number of studies that have examined Hispanic adults' performance on the MMPI (e.g., Hibbs, Cobos, & Gonzalez, 1979;Holland, 1979;Lawson, Kalhn, & Heiman, 1982;McCreary & Padilla, 1977;McGill, 1980;Montgomery & Orozco, 1985;Padilla, Olmedo, & Loya, 1982;Plemons, 1977;Reilley & -ght, 1970;Whitworth, 1988) and the MMPI-2 (Whitworth & McBlaine, 1993;Whitwortlh & Unterbrink, 1994). The pattern emerging from studies that have contrasted normal populations of Hispanic and White adults is that Hispanics obtain elevated scales on Lie (L) and lower scores on Correction (K), and Masculinity-Femininity (Mjf) relative to Whites (see Whitworth & Unterbrink, 1994, for a review of these studies).…”

The influence of acculturation and racial identity attitudes on Mexican-Americans' MMPI-2 performance

“…The results for the Mexican-American population have been mixed and inconclusive (Montgomery & Orozco, 1985;Padilla et al, 1982;Reilly & Knight, 1970). The lack of conclusive results may be attributable to the poor design of the studies.…”