A comparison of suicide probability scale scores and MMPI-A scores among inpatient adolescents.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare the Suicide Probability Scale (SPS) and Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory for Adolescents (MMPI-A) among inpatient adolescents. The participants for this study consisted of 155 patients, 77 boys and 78 girls ranging from 14 to 17 years of age from a state mental hospital in the midwest. Correlation coefficients were computed between SPS total scores and the 10 basic MMPI-A scales and with the 15 MMPI-A content scales for both male and female participants. The statistical results of this study indicated many significant relationships between the SPS total scores and the MMPI-A basic and content scales for boys, girls, and boys and girls combined. Correlations between seven of the basic MMPI-A scales and total SPS scores were significant for boys, girls, and boys and girls combined. Results also showed significant relationships between the total SPS scores and 14 of the MMPI-A content scales for boys, girls, and boys and girls combined. The results of the analyses suggest that due to the frequency of significance, the results of this study may not be useful in determining if the MMPI-A would be a useful tool in predicting suicidal risk among inpatient adolescents. Future research should focus on determining why these results yielded the relationships they did. It may also be useful to look at those who may have actually attempted suicide or have thought about suicide.