MMPI scales and subscales: patterns of older, middle-aged, and younger inpatients.

There has been virtually no research on the relationship of age and MMPI subscales, such as the Harris and Lingoes, Wiggins, Subtle/Obvious, and other specialized subscales. One hundred younger (less than or equal to 39), middle-aged (40-49), and older (greater than or equal to 50) psychiatric inpatients were compared on the basic 13 MMPI scales and 77 MMPI subscales. Results showed that, as a whole, older patients tended to respond more conservatively to these scales, to show less pathology, and to endorse fewer subtle/obvious items than the other age groups. They responded, however, lower on Dominance, on Hostility, and on Social Maladjustment. Later-life patients also endorsed differentially many of the Harris and Lingoes 4 and 6 subscales in the less pathological direction than did the other groups.