Incremental validity of the MMPI-2 content scales in an outpatient mental health setting

The incremental validity of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory -2 Content Scales (MMPI-2; J. N. Butcher, J. R. Graham, C. L,. Williams, Br Y. S. Ben-Porath, 1990) was examined using clinical and content scale scor es to predict conceptually relevant symptoms and personality characteristic s of 274 male and 425 female mental health center outpatients. Regression a nalyses were performed to determine if the content scales contributed signi ficantly beyond the conceptually relevant clinical scales in predicting the rapists' ratings. Of the 10 content scales analyzed, incremental validity w as demonstrated for 7 scales for men and 3 scales for women. A 2nd set of a nalyses indicated that incremental validity was demonstrated for 4 clinical scales for men and 6 clinical scales for women. The findings provide furth er evidence that the content scales aid interpretation of MMPI-2 scores by contributing additional information beyond the clinical scales.