Minnesota multiphasic personality inventory profiles of Vietnam combat veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder and their children

Forty children of 28 fathers who are Vietnam veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) completed the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory. Each of the fathers had at least one elevated clinical scale. Fathers averaged eight elevated clinical scales, and compared to more recent norms, fathers averaged seven elevated clinical scales. Seventy‐eight percent of the children had at least one clinically elevated scale (averaging three elevated clinical scales). Compared to contemporary normal adolescents and adults, 65% of children had at least one clinically elevated scale (still averaging three elevated clinical scales). No consistent MMPI profile patterns emerged within or across the two groups. No gender differences were detected among child MMPI profiles. Forty percent of the children reported illegal drug use, and 35% reported behavior problems. Fifteen percent of children reported previous violent behavior. Eighty‐three percent of the children reported elevated Cook–Medley hostility scores as compared to an age‐matched national normative sample. Children with higher PK scores were also significantly more likely to report higher Cook–Medley hostility scores. Forty‐five percent of children reported significant elevations on the PTSD/PK subscales. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Clin Psychol 53: 847–852, 1997