Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2): what is it like?

It is one of the most widely used personality assessment tests. We explain how it works.

Human personality is one of the most difficult psychological constructs to describe.. Some theories define it as those stable and distinctive characteristics of a person that are manifested through behavior.

In spite of the complexity of its definition, there are some assessment tests that allow us to make a psychological profile of the personality very adjusted to the reality of the subject. One of the most widely used is the MMPI-2whose functioning we will review throughout this article.

What is the MMPI-2?

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality InventoryIn this particular case, the MMPI-2 is one of the most popular instruments in psychology for assessing personality, global and specific psychopathological characteristics of the person, or psychosomatic disorders.

This latest version, developed in 1989 from the original MMPI, enjoys great popularity because it allows the mental health professional to establish valid and reliable opinions or judgments about the patient's personality. In the same way, it enables the creation of a very complete psychological profile..

This inventory of personality constructs is composed of 567 dichotomous choice items in which the person must choose between true or false depending on whether he/she identifies with the statement or not.

The MMPI-2 provides us with the opportunity to to assess basic personality characteristics by means of a series of scales, categorized as basic or additional.categorized as basic or additional. The basic scale consists of 370 items that are divided into validity scales and clinical scales. The additional scales allow to expand the information of the basic scales by discriminating the content and nature of the symptoms.

Finally, this test is considered as a basic assessment instrument, so it can be applied in all areas where an assessment of personality traits is needed. Among these contexts of administration are: research centers and psychological clinics, teaching centers or military or defense contexts.

Characteristics of this psychological test

The MMPI-2 has a number of distinctive characteristics that make it the most widely used test for psychological personality profiling.. These characteristics are at the level of administration, objectives and reliability.

Objective

As indicated at the beginning of the article, the objective of the MMPI-2 is to elaborate a psychological profile of the personality traits of the person being assessed. As well as to identify possible psychopathological characteristics, or abnormal personality traits. abnormal personality traits.

2. Material

This test can be performed both virtually and classically (pencil and paper). The MMPI-2 question protocol and the answer sheets with the answer grid are required. In addition, the correction key is required for the evaluation.

3. Administration

Standard test administration instructions are included in the MMPI-2 test package. The estimated time for administering the test varies between 90 and 120 minutes.The test should always be administered in the presence of a psychologist or mental health professional. If possible, accompanied by a professional observer.

Due to the complexity of the test, it is necessary that the evaluator has read the material before using it. Next, the person being evaluated will be given the necessary material and the test will be explained to him/her. Throughout the test, the evaluator can answer any doubts that may arise, since the MMPI-2 is more valid if the respondent answers all the items.

4. Scoring

At the end of the test, the test will move on to the correction stage, in which the evaluator will award one point for each affirmative or negative answer. one point for each affirmative or true answer given by the patient and 0 points in the boxes marked as false.. At the end, all the points are added up to obtain the raw score of the scale from which the T score will be obtained to allow us to interpret the results of the test.

Your scales

As mentioned above, the MMPI-2 consists of 567 items arranged in different scales of assessment. These scales are divided into basic scales, consisting of validity scales and clinical scales, and additional scales.

1. Clinical scales

The purpose of these scales is to investigate a possible presence of psychopathological symptomatology. The following personality factors are found within this scale:

• Hypochondriasis.
• Depression.
• Hysteria.
• Psychopathic deviation.
• Paranoia.
• Psychasthenia.
• Schizophrenia.
• Hypomania.
• Social introversion.
• Masculinity-Femininity (divided into women and men).

2. Validity scales

The validity scale allows us to detect if there is intentionality to lie or incoherence in the answers of the evaluated person. This scale includes:

• Scale L or lying.
• Scale F or incoherence or validity.
• Scale K or correctness or defense.

3. Additional scales

As a complement to the basic scales, and with the intention of expanding the information provided by these, the evaluator can use additional scales that measure constructs such as:

• Anxiety.
• Fears.
• Obsessiveness.
• Depression.
• Preoccupation with health.
• extravagant thinking
• Hostility.
• cynicism
• antisocial behaviors.
• Type A behavior.
• low self-esteem
• Social discomfort.
• Problems at work.
• Work interference.
• Negative treatment indicators that show whether the patient needs hospitalization or not.

How are the scores interpreted?

According to the T score obtained by the patient, the scales can be interpreted on the basis of the following classification:

• T score<40: As a general rule, it is not possible to obtain scores for less than 40, so it will be necessary to examine the L scale score in order to find out whether the person intends to give a good self-image..
• T = 40-50: Corresponds to a very low score and therefore has no diagnostic significance. An analysis of the L scale should also be performed.
• T=41-55: Belongs to the expected score in the population so it does not have diagnostic significance either.
• T=56-65: Moderate diagnostic significance. Some of the scales should be reviewed to investigate which personality traits stand out..
• T=66-75: High diagnostic significance. From this score onwards pathological personality traits may appear.
• T>75: Extremely high diagnostic significance. It only occurs in 10% of cases, so the possibility that the person is exaggerating or that it signifies a demand for urgent help should be considered.