This study obtained and compared MMPI-2 data collected from a non-clinical sample of Oklahoma Indian tribal members to the MMPI-2's normative sample. Comparisons were made between these scores and (a) the MMPI-2 standard of T = 50, (b) within-(Delaware) group, across gender, age, acculturative status, and education, (c) the scores of two other American Indian samples obtained from previous studies, and (d) between the combined scores of all three American Indian samples and the MMPI-2 standard. Scores on three of the 13 Basic Scales (F, 1, and 6) reached clinical significance (a difference of ≥ 5 T points) and two others reached statistical significance (4 and 9; at ≤ .004), after use of a Bonferroni adjustment to account for the thirteen scales. In the second stage, average Delaware T-scores on the Harris-Lingoes, Supplementary, and Content subscales were compared to those of the MMPI-2 normative standard via a one-sample t-test. Clinical significance was reached on three of the Harris Lingoes subscales, on three of the Supplementary subscales analyzed, and on two of the Content subscales.

This study was undertaken to ascertain historical or culture-bound personality differences between Euro-American, the Delaware, and two other Indian cultures, as well as between each of the three Indian samples compared. Additionally, results of this study establish a baseline from which to compare clinical profiles of, at least, individuals from the three tribes compared. Use of scores for the combined American Indian sample may also contribute to more valid use of the MMPI-2's with American Indian populations in general. Most importantly, the results of this study may help establish a more adequate and appropriate cultural baseline from which to view pathology, in contribution to counseling psychology's knowledge of, and treatment directions for, American Indian individuals. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)