Joseph C. Kobos

Effects of Ethnicity, Sex, and Age on MMPI Profiles

Planned comparisons of Mexican-American and Anglo-American profiles were made to probe previous inconsistent findings regarding source of scale differences. While cultural and socioeconomic factors have been demonstrated to affect this inventory, variables of ethnicity, sex, and age and their interactions have not been thoroughly assessed, due to variations in methodology, populations, and sample sizes. The applicability of MMPI to the Mexican-American population was also questioned. Variables of ethnicity, sex, and age, allowed to vary and function as independent measures through multiple analyses of variance, proved to be potent sources of variance. Cultural factors seem related to elevations for the Mexican-Americans on the Lie and Frequency scales. Effects attributable to sex alone occurred on the Hypochondriasis, Masculinity-Femininity, and Mania scales. Elevations on the Hypochondriasis, Psychopathic Deviate, and Paranoia scales were linked to effects of age. Elevations for Mexican-American women on the Hypochondriasis and Paranoia scales were ascribed to the interaction of ethnicity and sex. An interaction of sex and age occurred on the Correction scale, with women elevating the scale as a function of aging.

Evidence‐based group psychotherapy: using AGPA's practice guidelines to enhance clinical effectiveness

Practice guidelines represent a useful approach to facilitate the delivery of evidence-based mental health care. In this article, we detail group psychotherapy practice guidelines developed by the American Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA). Combining the research literature with expert consensus, the AGPA has created a resource that should prove useful for psychotherapists, administrators, and patients. We illustrate the guidelines through a series of clinical dilemmas and challenges.

Police applicant screening: An analogue study

Police department supervisors rated subordinates (N = 424) as either a credit or discredit to the department. A derived empirical MMPI index called the Goldberg Index (L + PA + SC − HY − PT) was used to differentiate three groups of officers: Acceptables, Intermediates, and Unacceptables. Acceptables could be differentiated from Unacceptables with the Goldberg Index at a high level of confidence. Validational shrinkage was observed when Intermediates were added to the pool. Conclusions drawn were that (1) police officers are a heterogeneous population and that numerous predictive indices will be required to screen adequately a pool of applicants; (2) the Goldberg Index with a cutting score of 60 may detect as many as 25% of a target population; (3) indices such as that of Goldberg are useful as phase I screens to generate high-density samples of a target phenomenon; (4) further work is necessary to determine what the Goldberg Index is measuring in a nonpsychiatric population.

SCREENING POLICE APPLICANTS: A STUDY OF RELIABILITY WITH THE MMPI

The problem of selecting candidates for law enforcement agencies is difficult and poorly understood. Behavioral scientists are becoming more involved as consultants to police departments and are being asked to validate current selection procedures. The MMPI is being used as a screening device. This study explored the interrater reliability of two experienced judges using the MMPI “clinically” in a simulated selection procedure. The judges used markedly different selection strategies and disagreed on nominal placement into two classes on about one-third of the cases. They reached the near maximum non-chance agreement possible, given that they used the nominal classes at different rates. Neither judge was more accurate in his selections than the other despite different selection strategies. They could not improve their over-all individual performances when collaborating. Criterion variables require improved definition before the search for valid predictors can be objectified.

Screening of Police Applicants: A 5-Item MMPI Research Index:

The usefulness and validity of various personality tests in the selection of police officers has been recently considered. This study examines use of the MMPI to differentiate successfully between acceptable and unacceptable police candidates. An item analysis of the MMPI is presented, and five items which significantly differentiated the groups are combined in an index. The statistical errors of inference in a simulated selection procedure are examined with the use of Bayes theorem. The index has sufficient validity to warrant further investigation.

Cotherapy in psychodynamic group psychotherapy: an approach to training

Cotherapy in a training relationship with a senior therapist/supervisor and a trainee/junior leader is presented. A structured training year with planned sessions for the junior leader to lead the group alone, as well as intensive supervision, is described. The training relationship is seen as evolving into an egalitarian, collegial working relationship. An incidental benefit of this cotherapy approach is that additional opportunities are provided for group members to work through attitudes, feelings, and behaviors associated with attachment, interpersonal relationship (autonomy and affiliation), separation, and loss. Potential drawbacks and applications are also noted.

Sex-Related Psychological Characteristics of Medical Students

Summary Sixty-eight female and 178 male first year medical students were given the Jackson Personality Research Form, a true/false inventory yielding scores on 20 personality traits. The data were collected over two years. There were no significant differences between years, but female students were more achievement oriented, with higher needs for autonomy, dominance, exhibitionism, and order than their male colleagues. The results are in contrast with those reported by others.

Wie wissenschaftliche Evidenz praktisch genutzt werden kann: Gruppenpsychotherapie und die »Leitlinien für die klinische Praxis« der American Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA)

Nicht nur in der Versorgung von Menschen mit seelischen Problemen wird heute sehr darauf geachtet, dass Praktiker wirklich effektive oder evidenzbasierte Behandlungen anwenden und beherrschen. Die letzten Jahre standen ganz im Zeichen evidenzbasierter Praxis, worunter nach der Definition des Institute of Medicine (2001) „die Integration qualitativ hochwertiger Forschungsergebnisse mit klinischem Wissen und klinischen Werten“ verstanden wird. Tatsachlich erweisen sich Praktiker gelegentlich widerspenstig gegenuber evidenzbasierter Praxis, da sie diese als interferierend mit ihrer beruflichen Autonomie, als Einschrankung ihrer okonomischen Moglichkeiten und auch als Einflussnahme der Gesundheitspolitik auf ihr Handeln erleben. Deshalb ist es sinnvoll zu versuchen, evidenzbasierte Praxismodelle zu entwickeln, die nicht nur effektiv, sondern in den Augen praktizierender Therapeuten auch schon klinisch-praktisch implementiert sind. Zehn ausgewahlte Themen der gruppentherapeutischen Praxis werden unter diesem Gesichtspunkt dargestellt.