ABSTRACT
The association between various MMPI codetypes and DSM-III schizophrenics, depressives, and bipolars (manic or depressed) (N = 169) was examined. Most codetypes predictive of bipolar-depressed also predicted major depression, yet these codetypes were not characteristic of bipolar-manic. Furthermore, "affective" codetypes often overlapped with a diagnosis of schizophrenia.
Subject(s)
Bipolar Disorder/diagnosis , Depressive Disorder/diagnosis , MMPI , Schizophrenia/diagnosis , Adult , Bipolar Disorder/psychology , Depressive Disorder/psychology , Female , Humans , Male , Psychometrics , Schizophrenic PsychologyABSTRACT
Research has focused on development of accurate screening instruments to detect alcoholism. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) has long been employed, but the utility of previous scales in differentiating substance abusers from normals remains unclear. Conley and Kammeier (J. Consult. Clin. Psychol., 48 (1980) 665) identified seven MMPI items which appeared to be specific to alcoholism. In a replication attempt, this study compared MMPI's for 1403 male and 323 female job applicants and 228 male and 76 female chemical dependency inpatients. MMPI items were chosen through empirical identification of those with greatest endorsement differences. A 13-item scale emerged with an endorsement differential exceeding 45%. Four of the seven Conley-Kammeier items replicated in the 13-item scale. These shorter MMPI scales appear superior to the older 50-item-plus MacAndrew and Holmes scales for screening normal populations, providing cutting scores which yield specificity exceeding 80% with sensitivity greater than 90%. However, results must be interpreted with caution, and limitations regarding the state of the art are set forth.
Subject(s)
Alcoholism/diagnosis , MMPI , Substance-Related Disorders/diagnosis , Alcoholism/psychology , Humans , Psychometrics , Substance-Related Disorders/psychologyABSTRACT
Using multiple variables of illness, comparisons were made between 17 postpartum depressives with recurrent affective disorder and 37 women with children and recurrent affective disorder but no postpartum depressions. An earlier age of onset in patients with postpartum depression was the only variable that was significantly different between groups. The occurrence of depression for the 17 subjects was significantly greater in the postpartum period than in the non-postpartum period. The postpartum depression rate for pregnancies subsequent to the initial postpartum episode was 75%.
Subject(s)
Bipolar Disorder/epidemiology , Depressive Disorder/epidemiology , Puerperal Disorders/epidemiology , Adult , Bipolar Disorder/diagnosis , Depressive Disorder/diagnosis , Female , Humans , Pregnancy , Puerperal Disorders/diagnosis , Recurrence , RiskABSTRACT
Skin conductance, heart rate, and resting EEG were examined in 26 patients with unipolar and 24 with bipolar affective disorder (in remission) and 46 medical control patients. The electrodermal activity (EDA) was monitored during a tone series that included a dishabituating stimulus as well as at rest and during respiratory maneuvers. The EDA of the patients with affective disorder was uniformly depressed across all tasks and conditions. Only one of the unipolar and five of the bipolar patients showed an elevated tonic conductance level, compared with about half of the normal subjects. These results suggest that diminished EDA may serve as a marker of susceptibility to affective disorder or, alternatively, that elevated EDA may be a protective factor. There were no EEG differences between groups, and observed cardiac rate differences were attributable to the effects of tricyclic medication.
Subject(s)
Bipolar Disorder/physiopathology , Depressive Disorder/physiopathology , Galvanic Skin Response , Acoustic Stimulation , Adult , Bipolar Disorder/psychology , Depressive Disorder/psychology , Electroencephalography , Female , Habituation, Psychophysiologic/physiology , Heart Rate , Humans , Male , Orientation/physiology , Reflex/physiologyABSTRACT
Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) profiles completed during unambiguous manic, depressed, and euthymic periods were compared in a sample of 22 bipolar (manic-depressive) patients, 13 females and 9 males, drawn from an outpatient psychiatry clinic; each patient was "multiplex-selected" in that each had a first-degree relative with a severe psychiatric disorder. Both the manic and depressed phase MMPIs revealed significant and prototypical signs of psychopathology corresponding with the clinical picture. In contrast, the mean remission profile was entirely within normal limits. At least in some individuals, bipolar disorder seems to be associated with complete restitution of normality.
