MMPI X and Zero Items in a Psychiatric Outpatient Group

Abstract

To test the hypothesis that Zero and X items are influenced in opposite directions under certain instructional sets, 28 outpatients took the MMPI under standard instruction and “ideal-self” instructions. The two instructional sets yielded significantly altered scores on all but two of the clinical scales. When X and Zero items were compared, the prediction that X item scores would decrease under the “ideal-self” set and Zero item scores would increase was substantiated. The consistency of the phenomenon of X and Zero item behavior under different response sets was thus demonstrated. Some tentative inferences regarding the significance and usefulness of this behavior are offered.