MINNESOTA MULTIPHASIC PERSONALITY-INVENTORY (MMPI) CLUSTER GROUPS AMONG CHRONICALLY ILL PATIENTS - RELATIONSHIP TO ILLNESS ADJUSTMENT AND TREATMENT OUTCOME
Ch. Bombardier et al., MINNESOTA MULTIPHASIC PERSONALITY-INVENTORY (MMPI) CLUSTER GROUPS AMONG CHRONICALLY ILL PATIENTS - RELATIONSHIP TO ILLNESS ADJUSTMENT AND TREATMENT OUTCOME, Journal of behavioral medicine, 16(5), 1993, pp. 467-484
Cluster analysis of the MMPI has been utilized widely in the chronic l
ow back pain literature to try to identify reliable patient subtypes p
redictive of treatment outcome. We extended this methodology to patien
ts with heterogeneous chronic medical conditions by replicating protot
ypic MMPI cluster group profiles and by relating cluster groups to cli
nical baseline and outcome data. Subjects were two independent samples
(n = 254 and n = 263) of chronically ill patients admitted to an inpa
tient medicine/psychiatry unit. Using a four-cluster solution, similar
cluster profile groups were replicated in both samples. Consistent di
fferences emerged between cluster groups on functional impairment, psy
chiatric diagnoses, depression, and psychosomatic symptoms. Cluster gr
oup membership also predicted changes in functional impairment and dep
ression six months after treatment. Results are discussed in terms of
similarities between chronic low back pain and chronic illness and tai
loring treatment to different patient types.