Head injury and the MMPI-2: Paradoxical severity effects and the influence of litigation

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) profiles of 30 consecutive patients with moderate/severe head injury were compared with those of 30 consecutive symptomatic minor/mild head injury patients. Of the severely injured, 18 had ongoing litigation and 12 did not. All 30 minor/mild patients were in litigation. The severe litigating group had significant elevations on Hypochondriasis (Hs), Hysteria (Hy), Schizophrenia (Sc), and Health Concerns relative to the severe nonlitigating group. The minor/mild group had significant elevations on Hs, Depression (D), Hy, and Psychasthenia (Pt) over both the litigating and nonlitigating severe groups and additional elevations on Sc and Health Concerns over the severe nonlitigating group. Results are discussed in terms of the influence of litigation and injury severity on symptom endorsement on the MMPI-2. A model explaining persisting claims of disability after minor/mild head injury is proposed.