The Meaning and Clinical Implications of Low MMPI-3 Self-Importance Scores
- 2 May 2022
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Taylor & Francis Ltd in Journal of Personality Assessment
- Vol. 105 (2), 227-237
- https://doi.org/10.1080/00223891.2022.2068421
Abstract
The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-3 (MMPI-3) includes two self-concept-oriented scales: Self-Doubt (SFD), a measure of low self-esteem, and Self-Importance (SFI), a measure of beliefs that one has special attributes and abilities. Past research has demonstrated that SFD and SFI measure related but distinct constructs. The present study focused on explicating the meaning and clinical implications of low SFI scores. Using three clinical samples (private practice and community mental health and private practice neuropsychology clinics), we investigated whether the presence of interpretable low SFI scores (< 39 T) in the context of interpretable SFD elevations (≥ 65 T) is associated with distinctive MMPI-3 findings, and whether low SFI scores add clinically meaningful information in predicting relevant extra-test criteria. Consistent meaningful findings were obtained with respect to implications of low SFI scores for assessment of depression- and social engagement-related constructs. Additionally, the full range of SFI scores was meaningfully and negatively correlated with depressive disorder diagnoses and suicidal ideation but yielded very small correlations with suicide attempt and nonmeaningful correlations with diagnoses of Social Anxiety or Avoidant Personality Disorder. Hierarchical logistic regression analyses showed that SFI scores could meaningfully increment other related MMPI-3 scales in predicting diagnosed depressive disorders, albeit with small effect sizes.Keywords
This publication has 28 references indexed in Scilit:
- The Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP): A dimensional alternative to traditional nosologies.Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 2017
- The Utility of MMPI–2–RF Scale Scores in the Differential Diagnosis of Schizophrenia and Major Depressive DisorderJournal of Personality Assessment, 2016
- Social functioning in major depressive disorderNeuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 2016
- Validity of Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory – 2 – Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF) scores as a function of gender, ethnicity, and age of bariatric surgery candidatesSurgery for Obesity and Related Diseases, 2015
- Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF) Scales as predictors of psychiatric diagnosesSouth African Journal of Psychology, 2014
- Diagnostic Construct Validity of MMPI-2 Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF) Scale ScoresAssessment, 2011
- Incremental validity of positive and negative valence in predicting personality disorder.Personality Disorders: Theory, Research, and Treatment, 2010
- The Big Seven Model of Personality and Its Relevance to Personality PathologyJournal of Personality, 2006
- Folk concepts and Psychological Concepts of Personality and Personality DisorderPsychological Inquiry, 1993
- Measuring nominal scale agreement among many raters.Psychological Bulletin, 1971