Examination of racial differences on the MMPI-2 clinical and restructured clinical scales in an outpatient sample

Emotional functioning in long COVID: Comparison to post-concussion syndrome using the Personality Assessment Inventory

Objective: Recent studies on Long COVID found that patients report prominent emotional distress and significant correlations between distress and cognitive performance have been identified, raising the question of how to manage or treat these issues. To understand psychological functioning in Long COVID further, this study examined personality responses on the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) to compare psychological functioning in a Long COVID group with a post-concussion syndrome (PCS) group, a syndrome with a significant psychological component. Participants and methods: Participants included 201 consecutive Long COVID outpatients (Mean age = 48.87 years, mean education = 14.82, 71.6% Female, 82.6% White) and a comparison group of 102 consecutively referred PCS outpatients (Mean age = 46.08, mean education = 14.17, 63.7% Female, 88.2% White). Effect sizes and t-tests were calculated using the PAI validity, clinical, interpersonal, and treatment consideration scales as well as clinical subscales. Results: The results replicated earlier findings on the PAI in Long COVID by demonstrating that both Long COVID and PCS groups had the highest mean elevations on SOM and DEP scales but no statistically significant between group differences in mean scale elevations. Results support similarities in psychological functioning between Long COVID and PCS patients emphasizing the importance of evaluating psychological functioning in neuropsychological evaluations for these populations. Further, results suggest that psychological treatment strategies for PCS patients may be helpful for Long COVID patients, but more research is needed.

Assessment of suicidal risk using Minnesota multiphasic personality inventory-2 restructured form

BACKGROUND

Suicide is a major social issue, affected by both social and psychopathological factors. This study investigated suicide risk assessment using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF).

METHODS

Data were collected from 7824 college students using the MMPI-2-RF. The participants were classified into high-, moderate-, and low-risk for suicide groups based on their scores on the structured Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) for comparative analysis. The relationships between scores on the Restructured Clinical (RC) Scales of the MMPI-2-RF and suicide risk level were investigated using a multiple logistic regression.

RESULTS

Out of the 7824 participants, 964 (12.3%) were identified as being at risk of suicide. There were 553 participants considered low-risk, 312 moderate-risk, and 99 at high-risk. Suicide risk in the participants tended to increase as RC scale scores increased. Out of the nine RC scales, the Demoralization (RCd) and Negative Emotions (RC7) scale scores were highest across all risk groups. The results of a multiple logistic regression indicated that the Demoralization (RCd) scores were significantly elevated in all three suicide risk groups. Antisocial Behavior (RC4) and Aberrant Experiences (RC8) scale scores were significantly elevated for the low-risk group, whereas Somatic Complaints (RC1) scores were elevated for the moderate-risk group, and Somatic Complaints (RC1), Low Positive Emotions (RC2), Antisocial Behavior (RC4), and Ideas of Persecution (RC6) scale scores were elevated for the high-risk group.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared to the healthy control group, all three suicide risk groups showed elevated scores on the RC Scales overall, suggesting that various psychopathological factors are involved in the etiology of suicide. More psychopathologic factors were found to influence suicide-related issues in the higher risk groups than lower risk groups, suggesting that more risk factors are involved in higher suicide risk groups. Compared to healthy controls, even the low-risk group showed a significant elevation in emotional factors and antisocial behaviors. While the healthy controls and those at risk of suicide differed significantly on both the Demoralization (RCd) and Negative Emotions (RC7) scales, only the Demoralization (RCd) scale appeared to be able to screen for high suicide risk.

Structural and predictive equivalency of the Wisconsin Smoking Withdrawal Scale across three racial/ethnic groups

INTRODUCTION

The Wisconsin Smoking Withdrawal Scale (WSWS) is a valid and reliable scale among non-Latino Whites but has not been validated for use among other racial/ethnic groups despite increasing use with these populations. The current study examined the structural invariance and predictive equivalency of the WSWS across three racial/ethnic groups.

METHODS

The WSWS scores of 424 African American, Latino, and White smokers receiving smoking cessation treatment were analyzed in a series of factor analyses and multiple-group analyses. Additionally, hierarchical logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine whether WSWS scores differentially predicted smoking relapse across racial/ethnic groups. These analyses were consistent with a step-down hierarchical regression procedure for examination of test bias.

RESULTS

The 7-factor structure of the WSWS was largely confirmed in the current study, with the exception of the removal of two offending items. Evidence of full invariance across race/ethnicity was found in multiple-group analyses. The WSWS total score and subscales measuring anger, anxiety, concentration, and sadness predicted relapse, whereas the hunger, craving, and sleep subscales did not. None of these scales displayed differential predictive ability across race/ethnicity. The WSWS sleep subscale showed a significant interaction with race/ethnicity such that it was a significant predictor of relapse among Whites but not African Americans or Latinos.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the WSWS is similar in structure and predictive of relapse across racial/ethnic groups. Caution should be exercised when using the WSWS sleep subscale with African Americans and Latinos.