Seven MMPI alcohol and drug abuse scales: an empirical investigation of their interrelationships, convergent and discriminant validity, and degree of racial bias.

This study investigated the interrelationships, convergent and discriminant validity, and magnitude of racial differences on five Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) alcohol scales and two drug scales with youthful samples (mean age = 22.3 years) of heavy and moderate alcohol users, heavy and moderate drug users, and non-psychoactive-substance-using inmates at a federal correctional institution (n = 1,048). Five scales showed some degree of convergent or discriminant validity. Racial differences were observed on five scales with blacks scoring lower on all these scales except one.