Relations between coercive strategies and MMPI-2 scale elevations among women survivors of childhood sexual abuse

The relationship between coercion strategies used by perpetrators of childh ood sexual abuse (CSA) and elevations of CSA survivors on the Minnesota Mul tiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPPI-2) was investigated Participants we re 151 women survivors of CSA in outpatient treatment at a university-based community mental health center Scores on the MMPI-2 clinical scales and th e Keane posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) scale were examined Main effec ts were found for promised or received rewards on several clinical scales a nd the PTSD scale of the MMPI-2, independent of the presence of force. Spec ifically, the presence of such rewards was associated with significantly hi gher levels of symptomatology on Paranoia (Pai, Psychasthenia (Pt), Schizop hrenia (Sc), and PTSD (Pk). There were no main or interaction effects noted for the presence of actual or threatened force on any of the scales.