MMPI PROFILES OF LIVER AND HEART-TRANSPLANT CANDIDATES WITH AND WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT HISTORIES OF HEAVY ALCOHOL-USE

This study compared the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (M MPI) profiles of liver and heart transplant candidates with (n = 104) and without (n = 253) significant histories of heavy alcohol consumpti on. The alcohol and nonalcohol groups had similar overall mean profile s with significant ol marginally significant (i.e., T greater than or equal to 69) clinical elevations on Scales 1, 2, and 3. However signif icantly higher proportions of those in the liver transplant group than in the heart transplant group scored within the clinical range on Sca les F, 4, 6, and 8. In addition, the proportions of respondents obtain ing clinically elevated scores were significantly higher for the alcoh ol than for the nonalcohol group on Scale 4 and the MacAndrew Scale; t he proportion was higher for the nonalcohol than for the alcohol group on Scale K. The overall similarity of the mean profiles indicates tha t candidates for liver or heart transplantation with and without histo ries of heavy alcohol use generally display similar psychological pres entations. The observed differences between the liver and the heart tr ansplant groups may reflect impairments in mental status among liver t ransplant candidates due to metabolic consequences of liver disease. T he differences between the alcohol and the nonalcohol groups may be mo re a reflection of past behavioral patterns than present psychological status.