The Convergent and Discriminant Validity of the MCMI as a Measure of the DSM-III Personality Disorders

Thomas A. Widiger, Cynthia Sanderson

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

58 Scopus citations

Abstract

The personality scales of the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI) were constructed and validated to measure the typology developed by Millon (1981). The ability of the MCMI to measure the DSM-III personality disorders has not yet been empirically evaluated. The current study found better convergent validity for the DSM-III personality disorders that are consistent with Millon's typology (i.e., the avoidant and the dependent) than for the disorders that are inconsistent (i.e., the antisocial and the passive-aggressive). However, the results may reflect some advantages Millon's typology might have over the DSM-III. The discriminant validity of all four scales was limited, due in part to the overlap among the MCMI scales and the DSM-III personality disorders. We discuss implications of the results for the revision of the MCMI and the DSM-III.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)228-242
Number of pages15
JournalJournal of Personality Assessment
Volume51
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 1987

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This research was supported in part through a University of Kentucky Summer Research Fellowship.

Funding

This research was supported in part through a University of Kentucky Summer Research Fellowship.

FundersFunder number
University of Kentucky

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Clinical Psychology
    • Psychiatry and Mental health
    • Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

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