PSYCHOLOGICAL SCREENING OF IMPOTENCE WITH FINNEYS MMPI-DERIVED IMPOTENCE SCALE

Three groups of patients in treatment were assessed for impotence, usi ng the MMPI-derived Impotence Scale. Group I were 46 patients who had been screened and scheduled for a penile prosthesis when the impotence resulted from known organic causes (biogenic). Group II were 198 pati ents in a sexual dysfunction clinic, for whom biogenic causes had been ruled out (psychogenic). Group III were 51 substance abusers in drug rehabilitation. While scores on the Impotence Scale did not distinguis h between the biogenic and psychogenic groups, the scores were almost three rimes higher than average scores among subjects in the standardi zation sample. MMPI-derived Impotence Scale scores were similarly elev ated among the substance abusers. Results suggest that the Impotence S cale may serve as a useful screening tool to alert clinicians to the p ossibility of erectile dysfunction for which further clinical evaluati on would be required.