Assessment of response style in combat veterans seeking compensation for posttraumatic stress disorder.

This study examined response styles of veterans seeking compensation for PTSD (N = 204). Veterans were classified as having a valid or overreporting response style based on their scores on three MMPI-2 validity scales that measure overreporting F, F(p), F-K. Sixteen percent of veterans had valid scores on all three scales. The number of veterans classified as having an overreporting response style differed depending on which scale was used. This finding highlights the importance of using multiple validity scales to measure response style. Veterans who were and were not classified as overreporters were compared on measures of combat exposure, PTSD, and depression.

Differentiating overreporting and extreme distress: MMPI-2 use with compensation-seeking veterans with PTSD.

This purpose of this study was to examine overreporting on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2; Butcher, Dahlstrom, Graham, Tellegen, & Kaemmer, 1989) in compensation-seeking veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A sample of veterans tested during a V.A. hospital compensation and pension exam were given the MMPI-2 and measures of PTSD, depression, and combat exposure. Veteran's MMPI-2s were only included in the analyses if their profile was extremely exaggerated, as measured by an F scale T score above 80, did not elevate the MMPI-2 VRIN and TRIN scales, and had a primary diagnosis of PTSD (n = 127). Using the Infrequency-Psychopathology, F(p), scale to distinguish overreporting from distress, it was found that 98 veterans elevated profiles due to distress, whereas 29 elevated due to overreporting, F(p) below and above 7, respectively. Differences between groups on MMPI-2 clinical scales and the other measures were assessed. Implications of these findings for assessing veteran response style and using the MMPI-2 with a PTSD population are discussed.