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A caution on the use of the MMPI K-correction in research on psychosomatic medicine.

Publication ,  Journal Article
McCrae, RR; Costa, PT; Dahlstrom, WG; Barefoot, JC; Siegler, IC; Williams, RB
Published in: Psychosom Med
1989

The MMPI K scale is widely used to screen for invalid responses and to adjust substantive scale scores for defensiveness. In a normal volunteer sample, correlations of MMPI clinical scales and the Cook-Medley Hostility (HO) scale with self-reports and peer ratings on the NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI) were decreased rather than increased by K-correction. Similarly, in a medical sample, structured interview-based ratings of Potential for Hostility were better predicted by uncorrected HO scores than by K-corrected HO scores. Finally, in a prospective study of mortality among lawyers, uncorrected HO scores were a significant predictor of all-cause mortality; K-corrected scores were not. The data suggest that, under some circumstances, the K scale may measure substantive traits rather than defensiveness, and should be used and interpreted with caution. Its use is probably contraindicated for most research on psychiatrically normal subjects.

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Published In

Psychosom Med

DOI

ISSN

0033-3174

Publication Date

1989

Volume

51

Issue

1

Start / End Page

58 / 65

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Type A Personality
  • Self Concept
  • Psychophysiologic Disorders
  • Psychometrics
  • Psychiatry
  • Neurotic Disorders
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • MMPI
  • Longitudinal Studies
 

Citation

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McCrae, R. R., Costa, P. T., Dahlstrom, W. G., Barefoot, J. C., Siegler, I. C., & Williams, R. B. (1989). A caution on the use of the MMPI K-correction in research on psychosomatic medicine. Psychosom Med, 51(1), 58–65. https://doi.org/10.1097/00006842-198901000-00006
McCrae, R. R., P. T. Costa, W. G. Dahlstrom, J. C. Barefoot, I. C. Siegler, and R. B. Williams. “A caution on the use of the MMPI K-correction in research on psychosomatic medicine.Psychosom Med 51, no. 1 (1989): 58–65. https://doi.org/10.1097/00006842-198901000-00006.
McCrae RR, Costa PT, Dahlstrom WG, Barefoot JC, Siegler IC, Williams RB. A caution on the use of the MMPI K-correction in research on psychosomatic medicine. Psychosom Med. 1989;51(1):58–65.
McCrae, R. R., et al. “A caution on the use of the MMPI K-correction in research on psychosomatic medicine.Psychosom Med, vol. 51, no. 1, 1989, pp. 58–65. Pubmed, doi:10.1097/00006842-198901000-00006.
McCrae RR, Costa PT, Dahlstrom WG, Barefoot JC, Siegler IC, Williams RB. A caution on the use of the MMPI K-correction in research on psychosomatic medicine. Psychosom Med. 1989;51(1):58–65.

Published In

Psychosom Med

DOI

ISSN

0033-3174

Publication Date

1989

Volume

51

Issue

1

Start / End Page

58 / 65

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Type A Personality
  • Self Concept
  • Psychophysiologic Disorders
  • Psychometrics
  • Psychiatry
  • Neurotic Disorders
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • MMPI
  • Longitudinal Studies