ADOLESCENT MULTIPHASIC PERSONALITY-INVENTORY AND ITS UTILITY IN ASSESSING SUICIDAL AND VIOLENT ADOLESCENTS

Adolescent Multiphasic Personality Inventory profiles of inpatient ado lescents were examined to identify differences between suicidal (dange r to self, n = 145) and violent (danger to others, n = 36) adolescents . Participants were 181 inpatients (12-17 years old, mean age, 14.7 ye ars) admitted to an adolescent psychiatric unit of a southern Californ ia county hospital. Results indicate that the suicide group had signif icantly higher scores than the violent group on five scales (Hypochond riasis, Psychasthenia, Paranoia, Schizophrenia, and Social Introversio n). These scales, singly or in combination, have been found to he indi cative of psychotic process. This suggests the presence of psychotic p rocess in suicidal, but not violent, adolescents.