Overreporting of closed-head injury symptoms on the MMPI-2.

Abstract

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2) validity scales were compared in 4 groups : nonclinical participants answering under standard instructions (n = 20), nonclinical participants instructed to fake closed-head injury (CHI) symptoms (n = 18), non-compensation-seeking CHI patients (n = 31), and compensation-seeking CHI patients (n = 30). The highest scores on MMPI-2 overreporting scales were obtained by nonclinical participants faking CHI, and significantly higher scores on these scales were obtained by compensation-seeking relative to non-compensation-seeking CHI patients. These results suggest that MMPI-2 overreporting scales are sensitive to fabrication of CHI complaints, and possibly to exaggeration of CHI complaints, although further research is necessary to evaluate the latter hypothesis fully.