Minnesota multiphasic personality inventory
From Psy3242
History behind the Minnesota Muliphasic Personality Inventory
The Minnesota multiphasic personality inventory(MMPI) is one of the most frequently used clinical test. It was developed by a psychologist, Starke R. Hathaway and a psychiatrist, J.C. McKinley at the University of Minnesota. It was originally intended for use with adults but can be used for adolescents if a researcher uses the Minnesota multiphasic personality inventory-Adolescents (MMPI-A). THE MMPI has ten clinical scales and three validity scales.The MMPI-2 contains 567 test items and takes approximately 60 to 90 minutes to complete. The MMPI-II is made of 567 binary (true or false) items (questions). Each item requires the subject to respond: "This is true (or false) as applied to me". There are no "correct" answer. The validity scales indicate whether the patient responded truthfully and accurately or was trying to manipulate the test. They pick up patterns. Some patients want to appear normal (or abnormal) and consistently choose what they believe are the "correct" answers. This kind of behavior triggers the validity scales. These are so sensitive that they can indicate whether the subject lost his or her place on the answer sheet and was responding randomly! The validity scales also alert the diagnostician to problems in reading comprehension and other inconsistencies in response patterns.
The Ten Scales
MMPI Scales Scale 1 - hypochondriasis
Neurotic concern over bodily functioning. Scale 2 - depression
Poor morale, lack of hope in the future, and a general dissatisfaction with one's own life situation. High scores are clinical depression whilst lower scores are more general unhappiness with life. Scale 3 - hysteria
Hysterical reaction to stressful situations. Often have 'normal' facade and then go to pieces when faced with a 'trigger' level of stress.
People who tend to score higher include brighter, better educated and from higher social classes. Women score higher too. Scale 4 - psychopathic deviate
Measures social deviation, lack of acceptance of authority, amorality. Adolescents tend to score higher. Scale 5 - masculinity-femininity
Tests for homosexual tendencies. Men tend to get higher scores. It is also related to intelligence, education, and socioeconomic status. Scale 6 - paranoia
Paranoid symptoms such as ideas of reference, feelings of persecution, grandiose self-concepts, suspiciousness, excessive sensitivity, and rigid opinions and attitudes. Scale 7 - psychasthenia
Originally characterized by excessive doubts, compulsions, obsessions, and unreasonable fears, it now indicates conditions such as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). It also shows abnormal fears, self-criticism, difficulties in concentration, and guilt feelings. Scale 8 - schizophrenia
Assesses a wide variety of content areas, including bizarre thought processes and peculiar perceptions, social alienation, poor familial relationships, difficulties in concentration and impulse control, lack of deep interests, disturbing questions of self-worth and self-identity, and sexual difficulties. Scale 9 - hypomania
Tests for elevated mood, accelerated speech and motor activity, irritability, flight of ideas, and brief periods of depression. Scale 0 - social introversion
Tests for a person's tendency to withdraw from social contacts and responsibilities
