An estimate and comparison of MMPI and MMPI-2 concurrent validity. Predicting DSM-III-R diagnoses among college students.

The ability of the MMPI and MMPI-2 to identify persons who were either free or not free from DSM-III-R-defined psychopathology was assessed and compared. University students completed either the MMPI (N = 388) or the MMPI-2 (N = 302) along with a computerized version of the Diagnostic Interview Schedule, which was scored according to the criteria of the DSM-III-R. MMPI profiles were categorized with several different rules as being within normal limits or not. DSM-III-R status served as the criterion variable, and 189 (27%) study participants met criteria for a current axis I disorder. Although MMPI profiles were more elevated than MMPI-2 profiles, the proportion of profiles categorized as either normal or abnormal did not differ. Both the MMPI and MMPI-2 demonstrated a statistically reliable degree of relation with the broadly applied DSM-III-R standard of current disorder or not. Predictive relationships were modest. The variance in DSM-III-R-measured psychopathology accounted for by MMPI or MMPI-2 categorizations averaged gamma 2 = .12. Contrary to hypotheses, our results did not demonstrate improved MMPI-2 discrimination.