Differential validity of the MMPI-2 Subtle and Obvious scales with psychiatric inpatients: scale 2.

The construct and concurrent validity of the MMPI-2 Scale 2 Subtle and Obvious scales were examined for a group of 67 psychiatric inpatients. Validity coefficients for the Obvious scale were uniformly greater than those for the Full and Subtle scales. Subtle scale validity coefficients were negative and attenuated the validity of the Full clinical scale. Use of Obvious items resulted in more accurate prediction of assessed suicide risk, while inclusion of the Subtle items did not add any useful information in the prediction of assessed suicide risk or psychiatric diagnosis. It is recommended that future research that uses the MMPI-2 basic clinical scales examine the differential validity of the Subtle and Obvious scales.