Corresponding Author Information: Megan Keen
Session Abstract: Predicting Non-Suicidal Self-Injury and Suicidality in Adolescents Receiving Residential Treatment using the MMPI-A-RF
Megan A. Keen, Colette C. Delawalla, & Tayla T. C. Lee
Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI) and suicidal thoughts and behaviors (Suicidality) are critical threats to the health of adolescents that must be detected and addressed. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory “ Adolescent“ Restructured Form (MMPI-A-RF; Archer et al., 2016) could be used to detect risk for these types of behaviors, but no previous studies have examined this possibility. SUBJECTS, METHODS, & MATERIALS: We investigated whether MMIP-A-RF scale scores predicted NSSI/Suicidality in a sample of 147 adolescents in residential treatment who completed the MMPI-A-RF at intake. A series of t-tests and logistic regressions were used to determine MMPI-A-RF scores' abilities to predict NSSI/Suicidality recorded in the youths' medical records during treatment. ANALYSES AND RESULTS: Adolescents who experienced NSSI/Suicidality (N = 8) endorsed significantly more internalizing difficulties than did those who did not on EID, RCd, HLP, SFD, and MLS (d's = .63 -.80). Logistic regressions examining the ability of individual MMPI-A-RF scores to predict NSSI/Suicidality suggested higher scores on RCd, MLS, SFD, SUB, and BRF were associated with a 6 to7% increase in the odds a youth would experience NSSI/Suicidality. We also examined a model based on past studies suggesting psychological distress, specific internalizing and somatic difficulties, and substance abuse are related to NSSI/Suicidality in adolescents (e.g., Bohman et al., 2012; Soto-Sanz et al., 2019). This model included scores on RCd, internalizing and somatic SP scales, and SUB as potential predictors. In this model, higher scores on RCd [Exp(B) = 1.27], BRF [Exp(B) = 1.23], and SUB [Exp(B) = 1.14] were significantly associated with an increased odds of NSSI/Suicidality, while higher scores on ANX [Exp(B) = .73] and COG [Exp(B) = .84] were significantly associated with a lower likelihood of NSSI/Suicidality. This model correctly classified 138/139 individuals who did not experience NSSI/Suicidality (specificity = 99%) and 2/8 individuals who did (sensitivity = 25%). Overall, results indicate MMPI-A-RF scale scores do not improve on base rate-based determinations of risk for these behaviors. However, given that across all analyses scores on RCd, BRF, and SUB were associated with NSSI/Suicide risk, they warrant further investigation.
Presenters:
Megan Keen | Ball State University, Muncie IN
Megan A. Keen