Date of Award

Summer 2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Psychology

Program/Concentration

Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology

Committee Director

Richard Handel

Committee Member

Jennifer Flaherty

Committee Member

James Paulson

Committee Member

Kevin Waymire

Abstract

Due to social, psychological, biological, and cultural differences in adolescent development, it is important to evaluate measurement invariance in psychological measures. Although the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) assessments have a plethora of research to evaluate their utility in clinical practice, few published studies have examined the measurement invariance between males and females for any of the scales in the adolescent versions (MMPI-A/MMPI-A-RF). The present study examined the measurement invariance of the MMPI-A-RF Internalizing and Externalizing Specific Problem Scales between male and female adolescents. Data were obtained from an outpatient sample and from Pearson’s mail-in service resulting in 1,622 valid protocols (811 boys and 811 girls) that were examined. Five of the nine Internalizing Scales (Anger Proneness, Anxiety, Self-Doubt, Specific Fears, and Stress/Worry) obtained full measurement invariance. The Behavior Restricting Fears Scale was dropped from further analyses due to a Heywood case in the girls’ sample. For the remaining three Internalizing Scales, two (Inefficacy and Obsessions/Compulsions) met partial measurement invariance and the last scale (Helplessness/Hopelessness) only reached configural invariance. Three of the six Externalizing Scales (Antisocial Attitudes, Negative Peer Influence, and Negative School Attitudes) obtained full measurement invariance. For the remaining three Externalizing Scales, two (Aggression and Conduct Problems) only met configural invariance. The final Externalizing Scale (Substance Abuse) did not meet configural invariance. Overall, results indicated that many of the existing MMPI-A-RF Externalizing and Internalizing Specific Problems Scales obtained measurement invariance in varying degrees. This study further identified several scales where test developers, researchers, and practitioners should be cognizant of the influence of noninvariant items (i.e., the HLP, NFC, OCS, AGG, and CNP Scales), as well as limitations of the BRF and SUB Scales.

Comments

A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculties of Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk State University, and Old Dominion University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology through the Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology.

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In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

DOI

10.25777/mz3z-c826

ISBN

9798384455400

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