IEI/MCS Patients Express Distress Through Somatization

J Psychosom Res. 2007 Jan;62(1):61-72.
MMPI-2 validity, clinical and content scales,
and the Fake Bad Scale for personal injury
litigants claiming idiopathic environmental
intolerance.
Staudenmayer H, Phillips S.
Behavioral Medicine Clinic, Denver, CO, USA.

BACKGROUND: Idiopathic environmental intolerance
(IEI) is a descriptor for nonspecific complaints
that are attributed to environmental exposure.

METHODS: The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality
Inventory 2 (MMPI-2) was administered to 50 female
and 20 male personal injury litigants alleging IEI.

RESULTS: The validity scales indicated no
overreporting of psychopathology. Half of the cases
had elevated scores on validity scales suggesting
defensiveness, and a large number had elevations on
Fake Bad Scale (FBS) suggesting overreporting of
unauthenticated symptoms. The average T-score
profile for females was defined by the two-point
code type 3-1 (Hysteria-Hypochondriasis), and the
average T-score profile for males was defined by
the three-point code type 3-1-2 (Hysteria,
Hypochondriasis-Depression). On the content scales,
Health Concerns (HEA) scale was significantly
elevated.

CONCLUSION: Idiopathic environmental intolerance
litigants (a) are more defensive about expressing
psychopathology, (b) express distress through
somatization, (c) use a self-serving
misrepresentation of exaggerated health concerns,
and (d) may exaggerate unauthenticated symptoms
suggesting malingering.