TWO MMPI SCALES FOR ALCOHOLISM: WHAT DO THEY MEASURE?

The article discusses on the report of a study based on alcoholism. During an investigation on the definition of the alcoholism syndrome, it was noted that two empirical Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) based alcoholism scales were not substantially related. The AL scale, developed by C. Holmes and a second scale devised by D.P. Hoyt and G.M. Sedlacek contain 59 and 68 items respectively, with an overlap of 28 items. Both scales were constructed through item analyses of the MMPI records of alcoholics and a portion of the original Minnesota standardization group, and both scales are reported to differentiate significantly alcoholics from normals.