The response styles of post-acute traumatic brain-injured patients on the MMPI

Abstract

A retrospective descriptive study (n = 44) was conducted on the response styles of post-acute traumatic brain-injured patients on the MMPI. The sample profiles were examined on indices of consistency, random responding, and bias to look good or bad. The results showed that about 20% of the profiles were markedly inconsistent, including two profiles which met the criteria for random responding. Depending on the cut-off score used, between 0 and 9% were identified as biased to look bad, while between 18 and 30% were identified as biased to look good. A mean profile on the primary clinical and research scales was developed and a frequency count of the high two-point codes was conducted. This profile approached clinically significant levels on the Psychopathic deviant, Schizophrenia, Depression, and Mania scales, respectively. The three most frequently occurring two-point codes (2-4, 4-8, and 4-9) have been classified as characterological in nature. The primary implication of these results for clinicians was the need for careful scrutiny of indices of consistency, random responding and bias to look good when interpreting self-report measures such as the MMPI with the TBI population.