Effects of psychopathology and demographic characteristics on MMPI-2 scale scores.

Using multiple linear regression analyses, we examined the effects of subject status for 6 demographic variables and the presence of psychopathology on variance in MMPI-2 scale scores. The analyses were designed to measure the incremental contribution of the demographic variables to scale variance beyond that explained by presence of psychopathology. Demographic variables were found to contribute little incremental variance for the validity and clinical scales, but did explain more than 10% of the score variance for 1 clinical scale, 2 content scales, and 5 supplemental scales. For these 8 scales, gender was most often the potent demographic variable and an expected influence. The results are discussed in light of the use of gender-based norms and in terms of other potential factors that might explain MMPI-2 scale score variance.

Comparative outcomes and costs of inpatient care and supportive housing for substance-dependent veterans.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the differential effectiveness and costs of three weeks of treatment for patients with moderately severe substance dependence assigned to inpatient treatment or to a supportive housing setting. Supportive housing is temporary housing that allows a patient to participate in an intensive hospital-based treatment program. Type and intensity of treatment were generally equivalent for the two groups. METHODS: Patients were consecutive voluntary admissions to the substance abuse treatment program of a large metropolitan Veterans Affairs medical center. Patients with serious medical conditions or highly unstable psychiatric disorders were excluded. Patients in supportive housing attended the inpatient program on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. They were assessed at baseline and at two-month follow-up. RESULTS: Baseline analyses of clinical, personality, and demographic characteristics revealed no substantive differences between the 62 patients assigned to inpatient treatment and the 36 assigned to supportive housing. The degree of treatment involvement and dropout rates did not differ between groups. Of the 55 inpatients completing treatment, 29 were known to be abstinent at follow-up, and of the 35 supportive housing patients completing treatment, 22 were abstinent. The proportion was similar for both groups, about 70 percent. The cost of a successful treatment for the inpatient group was $9,524. For the supportive housing group, it was $4,291. CONCLUSIONS: Given the absence of differential treatment effects between inpatient and supportive housing settings, the use of supportive housing alternatives appears to provide an opportunity for substantial cost savings for VA patients with substance dependence disorders.

Odd-even short forms of the Judgment of Line Orientation Test.

The Judgment of Line Orientation (JLO) Test is a relatively pure measure of visuospatial perception, analysis, and judgment. Among those with brain injury, the JLO is sensitive to right-hemisphere insult, particularly insult to the posterior right hemisphere. Individuals presenting other cognitive deficits, however, such as attentional dysfunction or problems with sustained effort may have difficulty completing the full 30-item JLO test. In an effort to minimize these factors, as well as maximize the probability of obtaining an interpretable protocol, the efficacy of 15-item versions of the JLO was explored. The results of this investigation suggest that utilizing the doubled raw score from odd or even 15-item short forms is a viable alternative to administering the full30-item version of the JLO.

Statistical methods in personality assessment research.

Emerging models of personality structure and advances in the measurement of personality and psychopathology suggest that research in personality and personality assessment has entered a stage of advanced development, in this article we examine whether researchers in these areas have taken advantage of new and evolving statistical procedures. We conducted a review of articles published in the Journal of Personality, Assessment during the past 5 years. Of the 449 articles that included some form of data analysis, 12.7% used only descriptive statistics, most employed only univariate statistics, and fewer than 10% used multivariate methods of data analysis. We discuss the cost of using limited statistical methods, the possible reasons for the apparent reluctance to employ advanced statistical procedures, and potential solutions to this technical shortcoming.