Date of Award

4-1995

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Department

Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology

First Advisor

Dr. Diane Prosser

Second Advisor

Dr.Robert Betz

Third Advisor

Dr. Malcolm Robertson

Abstract

This is an external validation study of the Alcohol and Drug dependence scales of the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory II ([MCMI-II], Millon, 1987). The Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-III-R ([SCID], Spitzer, Williams, Gibbon, & First, 1990) was administered to a sample of 73 adults who presented for treatment at a substance abuse facility to establish all possible substance abuse diagnoses based on the nosology of the revised Diagnostic Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (3rd ed. [DSM-III], American Psychiatric Association, 1980). Subsequently, scores on the Alcohol and Drug Dependence scales of the MCMI-II for the present sample were compared to the SCID generated diagnoses to establish sensitivity and specificity for these scales. Additionally, the correlation between the Alcohol and Drug Dependence scales of the MCMI-II was examined to validate their utility as independent measures of Alcohol Dependence and/or Abuse and Drug Dependence and/or Abuse.

An analysis of the data suggests that it is unwarranted for clinicians to use only the Alcohol and Drug Dependence scales of the MCMI-II as measures of current or past substance abuse. The sensitivity of the Alcohol Dependence Scale in the present sample of known substance abusers was .65 with a specificity of .77. The sensitivity of the Drug Dependence Scale for the same sample was .55 with a specificity of .85. Additionally, it was found that the Alcohol Dependence Scale was a better measure of all substance abuse diagnoses than the Drug Dependence Scale.

Access Setting

Dissertation-Open Access

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