MMPI-2-RF predictors of interpersonal relationship characteristics in committed couples.

There has been no systematic examination of whether scale scores on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF; Ben-Porath & Tellegen, 2011; Tellegen & Ben-Porath, 2011) are related to self- or partner-rated characteristics of romantic relationships. As such, the current study examined relations between select MMPI-2-RF scale scores and markers of relationship quality. Participants included 739 committed couples who completed the MMPI-2 and the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (Spanier, 1976; Spanier & Filsinger, 1983). Correlational analyses identified clinically meaningful negative associations between self-rated relationship satisfaction and scores on Emotional/Internalizing Dysfunction (EID) and Demoralization (RCd) for both men and women. For men and women self- and partner-rated relationship satisfaction and consensus were both meaningfully and negatively related to scores on Antisocial Behavior (RC4) and Family Problems (FML). These results are the first to provide support for the convergent validity of FML as a measure of difficulties experienced in romantic relationships. Results for EID, RCd, and RC4 converge with previous research examining relations between personality and intimate relationship qualities. Overall, these results suggest scores from the MMPI-2-RF are useful in screening for problems experienced by the individual or their partner in the context of their committed relationship. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

"False feigners": Examining the impact of non-content-based invalid responding on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 Restructured Form content-based invalid responding indicators.

Misinterpretation of non-content-based invalid (e.g., random, fixed) responding as overreporting or underreporting is likely to adversely impact test interpretation and could bias inferences about examinee intentions. We examined the impact of non-content-based invalid responding on the following Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF) content-based invalid responding indicators: Infrequent Responses (F-r), Infrequent Psychopathology Responses (FP-r), Infrequent Somatic Responses (FS), Symptom Validity (FBS-r), Response Bias Scale (RBS), Uncommon Virtues (L-r), and Adjustment Validity (K-r). In 4 samples from which invalid responders were excluded, we systematically inserted increasing percentages of random, acquiescent, or counter-acquiescent item responses ranging from 0% to 100% and examined the impact that non-content-based invalid response styles had on the content-based invalid responding indicators. F-r, FP-r, FS, RBS, and L-r were susceptible to non-content-based invalid responding, whereas FBS-r and K-r were unaffected. Individuals with Variable Response Inconsistency (VRIN-r) and True Response Inconsistency (TRIN-r) elevations were removed, and the frequencies of content-based invalid responding elevations were then reexamined for false indications of feigning. Findings were consistent across samples and emphasize the need to screen for non-content-based invalid responding before screening for content-based invalid responding in the assessment of personality and psychopathology. VRIN-r and TRIN-r were useful in detecting most-but not all-cases of non-content-based invalid responding. A small but meaningful percentage of the remaining individuals were misclassified as overreporters (i.e., false feigners) by FP-r and FS. Clinicians should interpret FP-r and FS with some caution in the presence of moderate levels of non-content-based invalid responding. Post hoc examinations of scale characteristics indicated that the most susceptible scales were brief, consisted of rarely endorsed items, included a relatively high percentage of true-keyed items, and required a low percentage of endorsed items to reach clinical significance. (PsycINFO Database Record