Clinical presentations in combat veterans diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder

This article investigated subtypes of symptom patterns among male combat veterans diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) through a cluster analysis of their Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory‐2 (MMPI‐2; Butcher, Graham, Ben‐Porath, Tellegen, Dahlstrom, & Kaemmer, 2001) clinical and validity scales. Participants were 126 veterans seeking outpatient treatment for combat‐related PTSD at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Two well‐fitting MMPI‐2 cluster solutions (a four‐cluster solution and a three‐cluster solution) were evaluated with several statistical methods. A four‐cluster solution was determined to best fit the data. Follow‐up analyses demonstrated between‐cluster differences on MMPI‐2 “fake bad” scales and content scales, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI; Beck, Ward, Mendelson, Mock, & Erbaugh, 1961), Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES; Bernstein & Putnam, 1986), Mississippi Combat PTSD scale (M‐PTSD; Keane, Caddall, & Taylor, 1988), and Clinician‐Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS‐1; Blake et al., 1990). Clusters also were different in disability‐seeking status, employment status, and income. Implications for research and clinical practice using the MMPI‐2 with combat veterans presenting with PTSD are briefly addressed. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol 59: 385–397, 2003.