MMPI-2 Characteristics of Adults Diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder

• Published in: International journal of neuroscience Vol. 96; no. 3-4; pp. 161 - 175
• Main Authors: Coleman, A. Rand, Norstrand, Julie A., Moberg, Paul J., Kohler, Christian G., Gur, Ruben C., Gur, Raquel E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Informa UK Ltd 01.01.1998; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Age Factors; Antisocial Personality Disorder - diagnosis; Attention Deficit Disorder; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - diagnosis; Biological and medical sciences; Bipolar Disorder - diagnosis; Depressive Disorder - diagnosis; developmental disorder; Female; Humans; Hysteria - diagnosis; Male; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous; MMPI; MMPI-2; Paranoid Disorders - diagnosis; personality assessment; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Schizophrenia - diagnosis; Schizophrenic Psychology; Human; Psychosis; Personality test; Attentional disorder; Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory; Schizophrenia; Adult; Personality; Revised drafting; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0020-7454; 1563-5279; 1543-5245
• DOI: 10.3109/00207459808986465

Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) has been increasingly recognized as extending into adulthood, affecting occupational, interpersonal, and psychological functioning. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and its revision (MMPI-2) have been widely used in the assessment of patients with psychiatric disorders, but few studies have attempted to characterize the personality profiles of individuals with ADD and none have used the MMPI-2. Thirty-three patients with ADD and 33 schizophrenia patients were compared to 46 healthy control subjects on the MMPI-2 validity, clinical and Harris-Lingoes scales. With the exception of significantly lower scores for general affective distress (F), thought disorder (Sc), and paranoia (Pa), ADD subjects demonstrated remarkably similar profiles to those seen in the schizophrenia group. Significant differences between the three groups were found on a majority of the clinical scales, with ADD subjects showing similar profile elevations as schizophrenic subjects on both clinical- and sub-scales. These results were consistent with previous research using the original MMPI in adults with ADD, and confirm that examination of MMPI-2 profiles may be a useful diagnostic aid for this disorder.