MMPI-2: A Comprehensive Overview
The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) is an extensively used and highly validated psychological assessment tool. It is used in clinical, educational, and research settings to help identify personality traits and assess psychological functioning. This article provides an overview of the MMPI-2, including its history, purpose, structure, administration, and interpretation.
History
The MMPI-2 was developed by Starke R. Hathaway and J. Charnley McKinley in the 1940s in an effort to improve upon the original Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI). The MMPI-2 was first published in 1989 and is currently in its third edition. It is the most widely used and researched personality assessment tool in the world.
Purpose
The MMPI-2 is used to assess a broad range of psychological functioning, including personality traits, psychopathology, and emotional and behavioral difficulties. It is commonly used in clinical and research settings to help diagnose mental disorders, assess risk for violence or suicide, and provide insight into an individual’s psychological functioning.
Structure
The MMPI-2 consists of 567 true/false items that are divided into 10 clinical scales, 4 validity scales, and 1 content scale. The clinical scales assess different aspects of psychological functioning, such as depression, anxiety, and somatic complaints. The validity scales are used to ensure the accuracy of the responses and detect any attempts to distort the results. The content scale is used to assess the accuracy of the responses.
Administration
The MMPI-2 can be administered as a paper-and-pencil test or as a computerized version. It typically takes 45–60 minutes to complete the test.
Interpretation
The MMPI-2 is scored using a standard set of algorithms and interpreted using the accompanying manual, which provides cut-off scores and clinical interpretations. It is important to note that the interpretation of the MMPI-2 results should be done by a trained professional.
Conclusion
The MMPI-2 is a widely used and highly validated psychological assessment tool that can be used to assess a broad range of psychological functioning. It provides a comprehensive overview of an individual’s psychological functioning and can be used to help diagnose mental disorders, assess risk for violence or suicide, and provide insight into an individual’s psychological functioning.
References
Butcher, J. N., Graham, J. R., Ben-Porath, Y. S., Tellegen, A., Dahlstrom, W. G., & Kaemmer, B. (1989). The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2): Manual for administration and scoring. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press.
Hathaway, S. R., & McKinley, J. C. (1943). The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press.
Graham, J. R. (2006). MMPI-2: Assessing personality and psychopathology (4th ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.