Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2
(MMPI-2)
MMPI-2 Introduction
The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) is a
popular structured personality assessment. The original version,
The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, was published in
1940 (Drayton,2009).The second version, MMPI-2, was created in
1989 (Drayton,2009). The MMPI-2 is one of the most widely used
psychometric test that measures adult psychopathology
(Drayton,2009). This assessment is used to help evaluate the
participant for mental health disorders as well as aid in the
counseling and treatment planning for the individual (Hays,2013).
Not only does the assessment consist of clinical scales that assess
mental health issues, but the assessment also contains validity
scales to provide information on the clients attitude toward the
testing process (Hays, 2013). Hays states, Most of the clinical
scales consist of items that significantly differentiate between
people in a particular psychiatric diagnostic category (e.g.,
depression) and people in the general reference group (often
referred to as the Minnesota normal). An example is if a person
with depression take the Depression Scale (Scale 2), then they
would endorse significantly more/less than the Minnesota normal
(Hays, 2013).
The MMPI-2 is a true/false, self-reporting assessment that has 567
questions (Drayton,2009). There are nine validity scales that assess
for, lying, defensiveness, faking good and faking bad
(Drayton,2009). These scales make faking the results highly
difficult. The clinical scales are assessing for the following: mental
health problems (depression, anxiety, PTSD), personality
characteristics (psychopathy), and general personality traits (anger,
somatization, hypochondriasis, addiction potential, and poor ego
strength) (Drayton,2009).
Specifics of assessment from Pearson Clinical:
Age Range: 18 years and older
Reading Level: 5th grade (Lexile average), 4.6 grade (Flesch-Kincaid)
Other Languages: English, Spanish, French for Canada
Administration: Online, Computer, CD or Paper and pencil
Completion Time: 60-90 minutes
Forms: 567 True-False items
Norms: A nationally representative community sample of adult men and
women (1,138 males and 1,462 females between the ages of 18 and 80
from several regions and diverse communities within the U.S.)
Scoring Options: Q-global Scoring and Reporting, Q Local Software, Mail-
in Scoring Service, Hand Scoring
Report Option: Extended Score Reports, Adult Clinical Interpretive
Reports, Forensic Settings Reports, Personnel Interp. and Adjustment
Ratings Reports
Publication Date: 1989, 2001 (revised), updated 2003 and 2009
Publisher: University of Minnesota Press
(Pearson Education, 2017)
The MMPI-2 can be obtained from:
www.pearsonassessments.com/tests/mmpi_2.htm
RESEARCH POSTER PRESENTATION DESIGN 2011
www.PosterPresentations.com
Alexandra Reeves
Wake Forest University Department of Counseling
Psychometric Properties
Additional scales have been created for the MMPI-2 (Hays,2013). In
2003, a flexible test construction strategy was created (Simms,
Casillas, Clark, Watson, & Doebbeling, 2005). This strategy permitted
the clinician to, identify and measure the meaningful and distinct
components of each standard clinical scale (Simms et al.,2005). The
four stages of test construction were as follows: (a) creation of a
Demoralization scale that measures a broad, emotionally colored
variable that underlies much of the variance common to the MMPI-2
Clinical Scales (b) identification of distinct core components for
each clinical scale, development of seed scales to tap each core
component using items from the standard clinical scales, and (d)
derivation of a final set of RC scales composed of items from the
entire MMPI-2 item pool (Simms et al.,2005).
Multicultural/Ethical Factors
Multicultural Considerations:
When diagnosing, a clinician uses testing information
(MMPI-2), non-verbals, and emotional responses
(Garber, 2011). But that is just the surface when it Ethical Considerations:
comes to taking into account how people from
different cultural backgrounds might react in this As with any assessment, it is important to consult
situation. The underlying issues could be: sociopolitical
issues of the time, social construction of
race/gender/culture, social views of mental health,
western philosophies/theories of mental health, and
the tools we develop to measure mental health
(Garber, 2011).
American Indians: When a study was conducted by Hill,
Pace, and Robbin in 2010, 30 items from the MMPI-2
scales F,1,6,8, and 9 were identified as reflecting
significant differences from the normative group
(Garber, 2011). There was 9 themes established from
interviews that were conducted after the assessment
(Garber, 2011).
Whitworth and McBlaine conducted a study in 1993
that verified that Latinos had higher L scores as well as
differences in Scale 5 (Garber, 2011).
Asian Americans: low-acculturated Asian Americans
scored significantly higher on 9 scales while bicultural
Asian Americans had 6 significantly different scores
than the normative sample (Garber, 2011).
Strengths/Limitations
In 2003, the psychometric properties of the RC scales were
Strengths:
compared to the standard clinical scales (Simms et al.,2005).
The RC scales were found to be equal or superior to the Developed from previous methods that emphasized
testing validity.
standard clinical scales with a median coefficient alphas that
Countless amount of literature on the empirical
ranged from .76 to .86 for the RC scales (Simms et al.,2005).
correlation of items, scales, and profile patterns.
For the standard clinical scales, the comparable median
Ease of administration with multiple administration
alphas were lower ranging from .59 to .79 (Simms et
formats.
al.,2005).
Objective scoring and high scorer reliability.
A large ethnically, geographically, and
socioeconomically diverse normal standardization
sample.
The temporal stability of the standard clinical scales is
in a range adequate to reflect both continuity and
change in symptoms and personality.
(Nichols & Kaufman,2011)
Limitations:
For the maximum accuracy of results, the test requires
that the participate have a minimum ninth-grade
reading level as well as a moderately cooperative
attitude when it comes to taking the test.
Influenced by variables.
the ACA Code of Ethics. Section E of the code covers
Hard to generalize to other populations if needed.
the evaluation, assessment and interpretation
Susceptible to deliberate deception.
ethical guidelines.
(Nichols & Kaufman,2011)
E.1.a. Assessment: The primary purpose of
educational, mental health, psychological, and
career assessment is to gather information regarding
the client for a variety of purposes, including, but
not limited to, client decision making, treatment
planning, and forensic proceedings. Assessment may
include both qualitative and quantitative
methodologies.
E.1.b. Client Welfare: Counselors do not misuse
assessment results and interpretations, and they
take reasonable steps to prevent others from
misusing the information provided. They respect the
clients right to know the results, the interpretations
made, and the bases for counselors conclusions and
recommendations.
The following also apply:
E.2. Competence to Use and Population-Specific Considerations
Interpret Assessment Instruments
E.3. Informed Consent in Assessment The normative sample for this assessment consisted of 1,462
E.4. Release of Data to Qualified women and 1,138 men (Hays, 2013). This was done in order to be
Personnel representative of the adult U.S. population when it comes to age,
E.5. Diagnosis of Mental Disorders relationship status, race/ethnicity, and geography (Hays,2013).
E.6. Instrument Selection
E.7. Conditions of Assessment
Administration The sample (norms) were between the ages of 18-80 and were from
E.8. Multicultural Issues/Diversity in several regions and diverse communities within the U.S. (Pearson
Assessment Education, 2017). It would be important to keep this in mind if a
E.9. Scoring and Interpretation of client is a first generation immigrant from another country.
Assessments
E.10. Assessment Security
E.11. Obsolete Assessment and
Outdated Results
E.12. Assessment Construction
E. 13. Forensic Evaluation: Evaluation
for Legal Proceedings