The Assessment of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF) Profile of Young Adults with Specific Learning Disorders: A Network Analysis Approach.

Specific learning disorders (SLD) affect 3-17% of the world's population and are associated with significant academic, emotional, and social challenges. This study compared Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF) profiles and symptom networks between young adults with SLD and healthy controls. A total of 177 individuals with SLD (including dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, or combinations thereof) and 200 age-matched controls from Saudi Arabia completed the MMPI-2-RF. Scale scores were compared using independent-samples t-tests, and network analysis was employed to identify central and bridging symptoms. All analyses were conducted in RStudio. Compared with controls, the SLD group scored significantly higher on demoralization (M = 47.0 vs. 44.6), somatic complaints ( M = 47.4 vs. 45.5), dysfunctional negative emotions (M = 41.8 vs. 39.8), and thought dysfunction (M = 52.3 vs. 50.1). In the symptom network, low positive emotions strength = 1.23) and dysfunctional negative emotions (strength = 1.12) emerged as the most central nodes, with strong connections to cynicism (edge = 0.16) and demoralization (edge = 0.22). A negative edge linked ideas of persecution to aberrant experiences (edge = - 0.10). Among personality psychopathology five-revised scales, introversion/low positive emotionality-revised (strength = 0.95) and negative emotionality/neuroticism-revised (strength = 0.89) were most central and were strongly interrelated (edge = 0.28). These findings suggest that targeting core symptoms-such as low positive emotions and introversion-may disrupt maladaptive symptom networks and improve outcomes for individuals with SLD. Clinicians may enhance treatment effectiveness by focusing on these central features.