The group difference MMPI literature relevant to African-Americans was reexamined for major methodological issues including the criteria used for ethnichacia1 group membership and socioeconomic status. These issues are of sufficient magnitude to question the traditional scientific methods used in MMPI research and the current interpretations of African-American MMPI profiles. This cultural variance can be identified in item content and consistent scale elevations for African-American samples. The magnitude of cultural variance has been found to vary across samples. Recent empirical data indicate that such variance may be appreciable and significant for African-Americans who are in process of realizing a distinct cultural identity as evidenced by racial consciousness and moderator variables.
Professional psychology now has the MMPI-2, a test that includes African-Americans in the standardization and concurrent studies of demographic and behavioral correlates. However, many assessors will continue to use the original MMPI for persons not included in the standardization and norms, particularly African-Americans, and there is now little enthusiasm for development of special norms for the original MMPI (Dahlstrom, Lachar, & Dahlstrom, 1986; R. . This paper provides a reexamination of the group difference literature on the original MMPI relevant to African-Americans. It is presented in the spirit that what may still be learned about the historic use of the MMPI will be helpful in evaluating Major methodological issues are the statistical analysis of group differences, the criteria used for ethnidracial group membership, and the measures of socioeconomic states (SES), or moderator variables. R. Greene (1987) included these issues in his review as well as basic subject parameters, adequate sample size, scores analyzed, effect size, and empirical correlates. Greene indicated that appropriate statistical analysis had not occurred in 85% of his cited studies. While inappropriate univariate design for multivariate data was the most frequent error, control of experiment-wise error was labeled as the underlying issue. Our experience in categorizing method error in more recent studies confirmed the magnitude of error. However, it should be noted that it is mandatory to report reliability of judges because there appears to be more than clerical error present in any categorization procedure.
The issues of ethnicity and SES will be examined in detail in order to document the limitations of the MMPI group comparison literature as a basis for interpretation. However, the content of group item differences in the history of group comparison studies provides evidence that suggests an examination of the cultural contribution to differences in scale scores. The argument that the research methodology used contributes a source of bias also will be presented. Finally, there are unintended effects of not recognizing a cultural origin for group differences that include ethnocentrism and potential bias.
the MMPI-2.