Instrument Review: MMPI-2 Balducci, C., Alfano, V.,

Instrument review: MMPI-2

Balducci, C., Alfano, V., & Fraccaroli, F. (2009). Relationships between mobbing at work and MMPI-2 personality profile, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and suicidal ideation and behavior. Violence and Victims, 24(1), 52-67. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/208557482?accountid=10901

The article "Relationships between mobbing at work and the revised Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventor (MMPI-2) personality profile, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and suicidal ideation and behavior" examines 'mobbing' or bullying at work and the relationship of mobbing to workers' personality profiles, as measured on the MMPI-2. One controversial question surrounding the phenomenon is the degree to which the victim's measured personality traits are the consequence of victimization or the cause. Traditionally, victims have been said to manifest a personality profile typical of a victim of PTSD (such as flashbacks, social withdrawal, nightmares) and thus their symptoms and scores on personality test were seen caused by the mobbing. Previous studies suggested that mobbing caused PTSD in 92% of cases of mobbing (Balducci, Alfano, & Fraccaroli, 2009). However, many of these studies were inherently problematic because of limited numbers and also overrepresentation of females of Northern European extraction, despite the lack of evidence that this demographic group is disproportionately 'mobbed.'

The primary factors that other studies suggest tend to lead to mobbing include "social-organizational factors and the victim's personality" and to a lesser degree "role conflict and ambiguity and a laissez-faire leadership style" (Balducci, Alfano, & Fraccaroli, 2009). A consensus is emerging "that personality differences among victims and non-victims are more likely causes rather than consequences of mobbing" (Balducci, Alfano, & Fraccaroli, 2009). More recent studies indicated that victims of harassment were more likely to have a clinical profile of neurotic type characterized by somatitization of psychological complaints and depression, along with a significantly higher rating of paranoia than a control group. With this in mind, the researchers hypothesized that mobbing victims would show a similar MMPI-2 personality profile, along with "a clinically significant elevation on the scale assessing symptoms of PTSD" and symptoms of neurosis would be strongly correlated with the severity of the mobbing behavior to which they were exposed (Balducci, Alfano, & Fraccaroli, 2009).

Participants in the study were selected from three different mental health counseling clinics of three central Italian towns between October 2004 and June 2007, numbering 107 subjects in total. The MMPI-2 was chosen because of its widely accepted and comprehensive nature, which could be used to screen for a variety of complaints, spanning from the neurotic personality traits the researchers believed were strongly linked to being elected as targets for bullying and the PTSD which had previously been alleged was the result of being selected to be a target of bullying. This allowed the researchers to examine both their hypothesis that neurotic personality traits tended to 'cause' bullying, rather than the idea that PTSD negative symptoms were solely the result of being bullied. Other options would have been tests specifically used to screen for depression, neuroticism, and PTSD but the use of such tests would have lacked the comprehensiveness demanded of the research model, given that other symptoms not previously linked to mobbing might be overlooked but still relevant.

The MMPI-2 has been translated, culturally and linguistically into many formats and the format used was specifically for Italians, given the location of the study. The MMPI's professional acceptance also was a factor in its selection, as well as its ability to screen for masking or lying behavior, which can be critical when one is examining neurotic symptoms: "The MMPI-2 has three validity 'lie' scales "contains the widely used 15 content scales, which investigate symptom themes and clinical problems, e.g., BIZ (Bizarre Mentation), TPA (Type A Behavior), that only partially overlap with those investigated by the clinical scales and have stronger psychometric properties" (Balducci, Alfano, & Fraccaroli, 2009).

Potential problems with the study design were that participants were solely self-identified as being the target of mobbing, and the study sample was relatively small. The three sample studies in the literature review of the article were all around a hundred participants in number. Given the complexity of the phenomenon, a larger study group seems warranted. Also, all participants actively were soliciting mental health services, based upon their own volition or the urging of lawyers and doctors. This raises the question of individuals who may be bullied and not have sought out such services: would they be equally apt to show features of neuroticism?

The final results surprised the researchers in part -- subjects showed low rates of PTSD. However, they did show high rates of neuroticism and paranoia. These were even more suggestive of the causal aspect of personality being linked to 'mobbing' rather than a product of becoming a victim. However, the researchers admitted the paranoia is often a feature of those who have been subjected to "interpersonal relationships in which individuals' expectations of trust are chronically violated" (Balducci, Alfano, & Fraccaroli, 2009).