Relating PACL measures of Millon's basic personality styles and MMPI-2 scales in patient and normal samples

Abstract

Millon's basic personality styles as measured by the Personality Adjective Check List (PACL; Strack, 1987, 1991b) were linked to Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2; Butcher, Dahlstrom, Graham, Tellegen, and Kaemmer, 1989) basic scales via bivariate correlation and factor analysis in independent samples of psychiatric patients (N = 196) and normal adults (N = 124). Consistent with previous research, Millon's neurotic, introverted styles were positively associated with MMPI-2 scales measuring introversion, affective states, and disturbed thinking, whereas extroverted, socially dominant Millon styles were negatively associated to the same scales. Millon personalities and MMPI-2 scales were reliably associated along two bipolar dimensions measuring Neuroticism/Introversion versus Extroversion and Emotional Distress versus Emotional Stability, which accounted for 45% of the variance. A third General Distress factor loaded only MMPI-2 scales. Congruency coefficients indicated that the factors for patients and normal participants were very similar. Results highlighted the consistency of the links between MMPI-2 basic scales, the PACL, and other Millon instruments, as well as the utility of the PACL as a measure of Millon's personality styles in a mental health population.