Suicide and the MMPI: A cross-validation of predictors

Abstract

Compared a suicide-completion group to a psychiatric control sample on the 13 traditional MMPI scales, three experimental item pools, and eight profile patterns earlier described as indicative of suicidal tendencies ( N = 84). Also compared the frequencies with which the groups endorsed each of the 566 MMPI items. The number of resulting significant differences was less than chance. The results argue against the use of the MMPI to predict suicide at this time.

MMPI inmate profiles: suicide completers, suicide attempters, and non‐suicidal controls

“…The higher scores obtained by both completers and attempters on the Mf scale is in keeping with what has been observed in previous studies (Kincel, 1983;Leonard, 1977;Waters et al, 1982;Watson et al, 1984). However, the scores on other scales are more surprising, as they suggest that attempters are more pathological than the others.…”

“…High scores on the Mf or Pd scale (Kincel, 1983) or only on the Mf scale (Leonard, 1977;Waters, Sendbuehler, Kincel, & Boodoosingh, 1982;Watson, Klett, Walters, & Vassar, 1984) have been found to be related to suicidal behavior, although these results have not always been replicated. For example, in the Kinsinger (1973) study, the Mf scale was the only one not to discriminate among the groups.…”

“…Although better results have been obtained in this regard, they nevertheless remain inconsistent (Clopton, 1978;Clopton & Baucom, 1979;Clopton & Jones, 1975;Clopton, Pallis, & Birtchnell, 1979;Clopton, Post, & Larde, 1983;Eyman & Eyman, 1991;Greene, 1988;Leonard, 1977;Stancak, Fraenkel, & Jassova, 1983;Waters et al, 1982). This could be due to the variety of samples used and to their respective heterogeneity, especially as regards gender (see Leonard, 1977), to the varying interval between MMPI administration and the suicidal acts (Clopton et al, 1983), and to the definition of the suicidal acts themselves (Watson et al, 1984). In this last respect, certain studies have included suicide threats or suicide ideation in their comparisons; unlike suicide attempts and completions, these are not actual behaviors in the sense of acting out.…”

Emotional and intellectual correlates of unsuccessful suicide attempts in people with epilepsy

“…In another study, 65% of the suicide attempters among epileptics used antiepileptic drugs, 60% of which were barbiturates (Hawton et al, 1980). Finally, Luscomb, Clum, and Patsiokas (1980) reported that suicide attempters subjectively experienced three times as much stress as nonsuicidal psychiatric patients.Although recent efforts to develop predictors of suicide have been unsuccessful when applied to individual cases (Porkorny, 1983;Watson, Klett, Walters, & Vassar, 1984), researchers point to the need in clinical practice for variables that have been found to be related significantly to suicide or suicide attempts in assessing the "suicidal patient" (Porkorny, 1983). The present study investigated the emotional and intellectual correlates of unsuccessful suicidal behavior in adults with epilepsy in an effort to identify such variables.…”

“…Although recent efforts to develop predictors of suicide have been unsuccessful when applied to individual cases (Porkorny, 1983;Watson, Klett, Walters, & Vassar, 1984), researchers point to the need in clinical practice for variables that have been found to be related significantly to suicide or suicide attempts in assessing the "suicidal patient" (Porkorny, 1983). The present study investigated the emotional and intellectual correlates of unsuccessful suicidal behavior in adults with epilepsy in an effort to identify such variables.…”