Date of Graduation
Spring 2015
Degree
Master of Science in Psychology
Department
Psychology
Committee Chair
William Deal
Abstract
Attentional deficits, the inability to sustain attention and concentration, are a common symptom of many psychological disorders (i.e. AD/HD, Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, PTSD, GAD, etc.). Previous studies examined the relationship between Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Format (MMPI-2-RF) and measures of attention (Conner's CPT, WAIS III) specifically only with patients with AD/HD or traumatic brain injuries. This study set to explore the clinical utility of patterns on the MMPI-2-RF of people with attentional deficits, as measured by the Neuropsychological Assessment Battery (NAB) Attention Module. The final sample consisted of sixty-one adults (37 women, M age = 20.8 years, age range: 18-48 years) from a General Psychology course or a client of the Learning Diagnostic Clinic (LDC). Participants were administered the MMPI-2-RF, the NAB-Attention Module, and a demographic survey. Results indicate a significant negative correlation between some of the MMPI-2-RF scales and the NAB-Attention scales. Significant negative correlations were found between Demoralization (RCd), Cognitive Complaints (COG), Helplessness/Hopelessness (HLP), Inefficacy (NFC), and Disaffiliativeness (DSF) with the NAB Attention Index score (ATT). This suggests that participants experiencing attentional deficits also report insecurity and a sense of worthlessness in their mental abilities, which may alternatively affect their self-worth and sense of belonging with other people.
Keywords
Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Format (MMPI-2-RF), Neuropsychological Assessment Battery (NAB), attention deficits, assessments, cognitive ability
Subject Categories
Psychology
Copyright
© Ashley Nicole Mullins
Recommended Citation
Mullins, Ashley Nicole, "Attention Deficits in Cognitive Abilities as Measured by the MMPI-2-RF and NAB" (2015). MSU Graduate Theses/Dissertations. 1832.
https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/1832
