Maximum Likelihood Estimates of the Ability of the MMPI and MCMI Personality Disorder Scales and the SIDP to Identify Personality Disorders

The ability of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI) personality disorder scales and the Structured Interview for DSM-III Personality Disorders (SIDP) to identify personality disorders was estimated statistically using 122 subjects. Each technique was reasonably accurate when various diagnoses were excluded, but they were quite variable in identifying members of specific diagnostic categories. The same general pattern was seen when the disorders were combined into three general diagnostic clusters. The techniques excluded cluster membership fairly well, although there was little agreement across techniques for identifying cluster membership. The MCMI, however, was moderately adept at identifying membership in all three clusters. It was suggested that these instruments should be used cautiously in clinical settings and that additional data on their performance be obtained.