MMPI differences of Black and White male polydrug abusers seeking treatment.

Penk, W. E.; Roberts, W. R.; Robinowitz, R.; Dolan, M. P.; Atkins, H. G.; Woodward, W. A.

doi:10.1037/0022-006x.50.3.463

Cited by 17 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…Actually, there was a trend, especially after covariates were controlled, for blacks to present themselves as comparatively better adjusted than whites, averaging lower on 7 of 10 MMPI scales, persistently and significantly so on scale Hy. The magnitude of these differences does not coincide, however, with the pronounced differences found among heroin addicts (e.g., Penk & Robinowitz, 1974;Penket al, 1978). Rather, the findings approach results reported by Sutker et al (1980), in which main effects for ethnicity were not significant among DUI offenders.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 92%

Differences in measures of personality and family environment among Black and White alcoholics.

Patterson¹,

Charles²,

Woodward³

et al. 1981

Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology

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The debate about black Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventories (MMPIs) and white norms was renewed recently. Pritchard and Rosenblatt, revewing 16 studies, claimed to find no evidence that the MMPI is racially biased. Gynther and Green, reviewing 40 studies, concluded that racial bias in the MMPI varies as a function of sampling, with bias more likely when normal blacks are compared with normal whites but not when abnormal groups are compared. No study yet published has compared black alcoholics with white alcoholics, although problem drinking is classified as a major diagnostic problem. We found that black alcoholics scored significantly lower on a few MMPI scales (e.g., Hysteria), but profile differences were not clinically meaningful, particularly when the covariates of age, education, and socioeconomic status were controlled. Blacks differed appreciably on the Family Environment Scale (FES), however, rating social climates more positively than whites. Findings that blacks obtained negligible differences on a wholly white normed test (the MMPI), contrasted with the significant differences and better adjustment shown by blacks over whites on a test normed with minority-group representation (the FES), interject new considerations into the issue of racial bias. Whereas nonsignificant differences would not appear to support the contention of racial bias on the MMPI, FES results question whether such nonsignificance actually rules out test bias.The debate about using white norms for eluded that degrees of ethnic bias in the interpreting blacks' performances on the MMPI may vary in part as a function of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inven-kinds of samples being compared. Among tory (MMPI) was advanced recently in a normal subjects, blacks tend to score 5-10 lively exchange between Pritchard and Ro-T points higher on the MMPI, particularly senblatt (1980a, 1980b) and Gynther and on the Validity (F), Schizophrenia (Sc), and Green (1980). Pritchard and Rosenblatt Hypomania (Ma) scales. When subjects are concluded that there was no evidence to sup-psychiatric patients, however, differences port the notion of differential performance are less pronounced and more equivocal, peron the MMPI between blacks and whites, haps because profile elevations produced by whereas Gynther and Green (1980) con-maladjustment obscure racial differences.Moreover, when samples consist of heroin This study was conducted with funds furnished by the addicts, the direction of differences is re-General Medical Research Service and the Alcohol versed so that whites score higher than Dependence Treatment Program of the Veterans Adblackg (p enk & R 0 binowitz, 1974).'^S^^SSS^SS^ for his A . J» contradictory nature of black-white processing of MMPI protocols used in this study. Deep differences among normal and abnormal appreciation is expressed to Frank Harris for his un-groups-persisting even after such potenflagging labors at all stages of data reduction and pro-tially confounding variables as age, intelli-^RSiestsforreprintsshould...

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 92%

Differences in measures of personality and family environment among Black and White alcoholics.

Patterson¹,

Charles²,

Woodward³

et al. 1981

Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology

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“…For example, Costello et al (1972) reported that no Black-White differences were found if invalid profiles were excluded. Similarly, Penk and his colleagues (Penk, Roberts, Robinowitz, Dolan, Atkins, & Woodward, 1982; Penk et al, 1981) have found no Black-White differences in substance abuse patients when age, education, socioeconomic status, and intelligence were controlled statistically. Thus, it appears that moderator variables (such as socioeconomic status, education, and intelligence) as well as profile validity issues are important factors to be controlled in any MMPI research, particularly when the potential effect of ethnic status is being examined.…”

Section: Black-white Comparisonsmentioning

confidence: 92%

Ethnicity and MMPI performance: A review.

Greene¹

1987

Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology

125

123

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Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) performance as a function of ethnic group membership was reviewed in Asian Americans, Blacks, Hispanics, and Native Americans. There did not appear to be a simple relation between ethnic group membership and MMPI performance, either within or between such populations as normal individuals, psychiatric patients, prisoners, or substance abuse patients. Moderator variables, such as social class, education, and type of setting, seem to play an important role in determining the specific pattern of scores that arc found. There is a paucity of studies that have investigated whether there are any empirical correlates of the obtained differences when two ethnic groups are compared on the MMPI, that is, investigations of the external validity of the MMPI in various ethnic groups. It seems premature to conclude that new norms for the MMPI are needed for specific ethnic groups without additional research that examines the issues raised in this review.1 A multitude of terms have been used to describe persons within a specific ethnic group, such as Chicano, Hispanic, Mexican, Mexican American, and so on. To provide consistency throughout this article, the terms Asian American, Hispanic, and Native American will be used. 497This document is copyrighted by the American Psychological Association or one of its allied publishers.This article is intended solely for the personal use of the individual user and is not to be disseminated broadly.

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“…Following Pritchard and Rosenblatt's (1980b) commentary, numerous studies matched Black and White samples on several moderator variables that were believed to account for the observed group differences on the MMPI (Bertelson et al, 1982; Butcher, Braswell, & Raney, 1983; Newmark, Gentry, Warren, & Finch, 1981; Patterson, Charles, Woodward, Roberts, & Penk, 1981; Penk et al, 1982). Years later, in his review of this literature, Greene (1987) concluded that “moderator variables, such as socioeconomic status, education, and intelligence, as well as profile validity, are more important determinants of MMPI performance than ethnic status” (p. 509).…”

Section: Black–white Differences On the Mmpi: A Brief Review Of The L...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Using IRT to separate measurement bias from true group differences on homogeneous and heterogeneous scales: An illustration with the MMPI.

Waller¹,

Thompson²,

Wenk³

2000

Psychological Methods

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The authors present a didactic illustration of how item response theory (IRT) can be used to separate measurement bias from true group differences on homogeneous and heterogeneous scales. Several bias detection methods are illustrated with 12 unidimensional Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) factor scales (Waller, 1999) and the 13 multidimensional MMPI validity and clinical scales. The article begins with a brief review of MMPI bias research and nontechnical reviews of the 2-parameter logistic model (2-PLM) and several IRT-based methods for bias detection. A goal of this article is to demonstrate that homogeneous and heterogeneous scales that are composed of biased items do not necessarily yield biased test scores. To that end, the authors perform differential item- and test-functioning analyses on the MMPI factor, validity, and clinical scales using data from 511 Blacks and 1,277 Whites from the California Youth Authority.

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MMPI differences of Black and White male polydrug abusers seeking treatment.

Cited by 17 publications

References 4 publications

Differences in measures of personality and family environment among Black and White alcoholics.

Differences in measures of personality and family environment among Black and White alcoholics.

Ethnicity and MMPI performance: A review.

Using IRT to separate measurement bias from true group differences on homogeneous and heterogeneous scales: An illustration with the MMPI.

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