MMPI profiles of veterans of WWII and Korea: comparisons of former POWs and combat survivors.

MMPI profile patterns were compared between combat veteran groups of 168 POW survivors and 67 servicemen who were not war captives in WWII and the Korean Conflict. Results confirm previous reports that the scales, Hypochondriasis (Hs), Depression (D), and Hysteria (Hy), are characteristically elevated among former POWs. Findings also point to the contribution of scales, Psychasthenia (Pt), Paranoia (Pa), and Ego Strength (Es), in differentiating groups, suggesting that negative ruminations, heightened anxiety, interpersonal anger and suspiciousness, and low self-esteem contribute significantly to group differentiation.