INTRODUCTION

● The Minnesota Multiphase Personality Inventory (MMPI) is the most widely

used and researched standardized psychometric test of adult personality and
psychopathology. Psychologists and other mental health professionals use
various versions of the MMPI to develop treatment plans; assist with
differential diagnosis; help answer legal questions (forensic psychology);
screen job candidates during the personnel selection process; or as part of a
therapeutic assessment procedure.

● The test is referred to as multiphase because it measures several personality

dimensions with the same set of items.

● MMPI-Adolescent (1992): This is a version of the test released in 1992 for

adolescents from 14 to 18 years old. The MMPI-A contains 478 items and
takes about 60 minutes to complete.

DEVELOPMENT OF MMPI-A
● Recognition of Developmental Differences: The need for the MMPI-A
arose from the recognition that adolescents have unique psychological and
developmental characteristics that differ significantly from adults.
Traditional MMPI interpretations were often inappropriate for this age
group, leading to the development of a specialized instrument.
● Revised Item Pool: The MMPI-A was developed through extensive
revisions of the original MMPI item pool. This process included improving
item clarity and relevance to adolescent experiences, ensuring that the
questions addressed issues pertinent to this developmental stage, such as
identity formation, peer relationships, and emerging mental health concerns.
● Inclusion of New Items: New items were added to the MMPI-A that
specifically relate to adolescent psychopathology, including issues like
suicidal ideation, substance abuse, and eating disorders. This expansion
allows for a more comprehensive assessment of the psychological challenges
faced by adolescents.
 ● Normative Sample: The development of the MMPI-A included the
collection of a normative sample of 1,620 adolescents from various
geographic, socioeconomic, and ethnic backgrounds. This diverse sample is
crucial for establishing appropriate norms and ensuring that the test is
applicable across different adolescent populations.
● Focus on Validity and Reliability: The MMPI-A was designed with a
strong emphasis on validity and reliability. This includes the incorporation
of validity scales that help assess the accuracy of responses and the overall
integrity of the test results.
● Clinical Utility: The MMPI-A was developed to enhance clinical utility by
providing features that improve the identification and description of
psychopathology among adolescents. This includes the introduction of a
"gray zone" in the profile sheet, which allows for a more nuanced
interpretation of scores.
● Empirical Research: The development process was informed by empirical
research on adolescent psychopathology, ensuring that the MMPI-A reflects
current understanding and trends in mental health among adolescents.

VALITITY SCALES
✔ The L Scale: Also referred to as the lie scale, this "uncommon virtues"
validity scale was developed to detect attempts by individuals to present
themselves in a favourable light. People who score high on this scale
deliberately try to present themselves in the most positive way possible,
rejecting shortcomings or unfavourable characteristics.

✔ The F Scale: This scale is used to detect attempts at over reporting.

Essentially, people who score high on this scale are trying to appear worse
than they really are, they may be in severe psychological distress, or they
may be just randomly answering questions without paying attention to what
the questions say. This scale asks questions designed to determine if test-
takers are contradicting themselves in their responses.

✔ The K Scale: Sometimes referred to as the "defensiveness scale," this scale

is a more effective and less obvious way of detecting attempts to present
oneself in the best possible way by underreporting. People may underreport
 because they're worried about being judged or they may be minimizing their
problems or denying that they have any problems at all.

✔ The? Scale: Also known as the "cannot say" scale, this validity scale
assesses the number of items left unanswered. The MMPI manual
recommends that any test with 30 or more unanswered questions be declared
invalid.

✔ TRIN Scale: The True Response Inconsistency Scale (TRIN) was developed
to detect people who use fixed responding, a method of taking the test
without regard to the question, such as marking ten questions "true," the next
ten as "false," and so on. Fixed responding could be used due to not being
able to read or comprehend the test material well or being defiant about
having to take the test. This section consists of 20 paired questions that are
the opposite of each other.

✔ VRIN Scale: The Variable Response Inconsistency Scale (VRIN) is another

method developed to detect inconsistent, random responses. Like fixed
responding, this can be intentional or it can be due to not understanding the
material or not being able to read it.

CLINICAL SCALES
1) Scale 1: Hypochondriasis

● This scale contains 32 items and is designed to measure whether

we have an unhealthy concern for our own health.
● A high score on this scale could mean that worrying about our
health is interfering with our life and causing problems in our
relationships.

2) Scale 2: Depression
● This scale, which has 26 items, measures satisfaction with our own
life.
● A person with a very high Scale 2 score could be dealing with
clinical depression or having frequent suicidal thoughts.
 ● A slightly elevated score on this scale could be an indication that
we were withdrawn or unhappy with our circumstances.

3) Scale 3: Hysteria

● This 60-item scale evaluates our response to stress, including both our
physical symptoms and emotional response to being under pressure.

● Those who are well-educated and of a high social class tend to score
higher on this scale. Women also tend to score higher than men on
this scale.

4) Scale 4: Psychopathic deviate

● This 50-item scale originally developed to identify psychopathic

individuals, this scale measures social deviation, lack of acceptance of
authority, and amorality (a disregard for morality).

● If we score very high on this scale, we might receive a diagnosis with

a personality disorder.

5) Scale 5: Masculinity/femininity
● The purpose of this 56-question was designed by the original authors to
identify what they referred to as homosexual tendencies, for which it
was largely ineffective. Today, it is used to assess how much or how
little a person identifies how rigidly an individual identifies with
stereotypical male and female gender roles.
6) Scale 6: Paranoia

● This scale, which has 40 questions, evaluates symptoms associated with

psychosis, particularly: Extreme suspicion of other people, Grandiose
thinking, Rigid black-and-white thinking, Feelings of being persecuted
by society

● High scores on this scale could indicate that we are dealing with either a
psychosis disorder or a paranoid personality disorder.
7) Scale 7: Psychasthenia
● This 48-item scale measures:

● anxiety

● depression

● compulsive behaviours

● symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

The term “Psychasthenia” is no longer used as a diagnosis, but mental

health professionals still use this scale as a way of evaluating unhealthy
compulsions and the disruptive feelings they cause.

8) Scale 8: Schizophrenia

● This 78-item scale is intended to show whether we have, or are likely

to develop, a schizophrenia disorder.

● It considers whether we’re experiencing hallucinations, delusions, or

bouts of extremely disorganized thinking. It also determines to what
degree we may feel alienated from the rest of society.

9) Scale 9: Hypomania
● The purpose of this 46-item scale is to evaluate the symptoms
associated with hypomania, including:

● excessive undirected energy

● rapid speech

● racing thoughts

● hallucinations

● impulsivity
 ● delusions of grandeur

If we have a high Scale 9 score, we may be having symptoms associated

with bipolar disorder.

10) Scale 10: Social introversion

● One of the later additions to the MMPI, this 69-item scale

measures extroversion or introversion. This is the degree to which we seek
out or withdraw from social interactions.

This scale considers, among other things, our:

● competitiveness

● compliance

● timidity

● dependability

SCORING THE MMPI A

1. Response Format: The MMPI-A consists of true-false items that
respondents answer based on their feelings and experiences. Each response is
scored as either a "1" (true) or "0" (false), allowing for straightforward scoring of
individual items.

2. Raw Scores Calculation: After the adolescent completes the inventory,

raw scores are calculated for each of the clinical scales. This involves counting the
number of items answered in the affirmative (true) for each scale.

3. T-Scores Conversion: The raw scores are then converted into T-scores,
which standardize the scores based on the normative sample. T-scores have a mean
of 50 and a standard deviation of 10. This conversion allows for comparison of an
individual’s scores to the normative data, indicating how the adolescent's responses
relate to those of the general adolescent population.
 4. Validity Scales: The MMPI-A includes several validity scales that assess
the reliability of the responses. These scales help identify potential response biases,
such as exaggeration or minimization of symptoms. Scores on these validity scales
are also interpreted to determine the overall validity of the profile.

5. Profile Interpretation: The resulting T-scores are plotted on a profile

sheet, which visually represents the adolescent's scores across various scales.
Clinicians analyze these profiles to identify patterns and elevations that may
indicate specific psychological issues or areas of concern.

6. Gray Zone: The MMPI-A profile includes a "gray zone" area that denotes
a range of marginal or transitional elevations. This feature allows clinicians to
interpret scores that fall within this range with caution, recognizing that they may
not clearly indicate normal or clinically elevated values.

7. Clinical Scales: The MMPI-A includes several clinical scales that assess
different aspects of psychopathology, such as depression, anxiety, conduct
disorder, and immaturity. Each scale's score is interpreted in the context of the
adolescent's overall profile and developmental stage.

Overall, scoring the MMPI-A is a systematic process that combines raw

score calculations, T-score conversions, and profile interpretations, all of which are
essential for accurately assessing adolescent psychopathology.

STEPS IN MMPI A PROFILE INTERPRETATION

1. Review Validity Scales: Begin by examining the validity scales (L, F, K,
TRIN, VRIN, and?). These scales assess the reliability of the responses and
identify any potential response biases. High scores on the F scale may indicate
exaggeration of symptoms, while low scores on the L scale may suggest a
tendency to present oneself in an overly favourable light. Understanding the
validity of the profile is crucial before interpreting clinical scales.
 2. Examine Clinical Scale Scores: Analyze the scores on the clinical scales.
Look for elevated T-scores (typically T-scores of 65 or above) that indicate
significant psychological distress or dysfunction. Identify which scales are elevated
and consider the implications of these elevations for the adolescent's mental health.

3. Identify Code types: Determine the code types by identifying the highest
two or three clinical scale scores. Code types provide a shorthand way to describe
the adolescent's psychological profile and can help in understanding the interplay
between different psychological issues.

4. Consider Content Scales: Review the content scales that provide

additional insights into specific areas of concern, such as anxiety, depression, and
social problems. These scales can help clarify the nature of the issues indicated by
the clinical scales and provide a more nuanced understanding of the adolescent's
psychological state.

5. Integrate Findings: Integrate the findings from the validity scales,

clinical scales, and content scales to form a comprehensive picture of the
adolescent's psychological functioning. Consider how the different scores relate to
one another and what they reveal about the adolescent's emotional and behavioural
issues.

6. Contextualize Results: Compare the adolescent's scores to normative

data to understand how they fit within a broader context. This helps determine
whether the scores are typical for their age group or indicative of significant
psychological concerns.

7. Formulate Clinical Implications: Based on the integrated findings,

formulate clinical implications. Discuss the potential significance of elevated
scores, the relationship between different scales, and any specific psychological
issues that may need to be addressed in treatment.

8. Develop Recommendations: Provide recommendations for treatment or

further assessment based on the profile interpretation. This may include specific
therapeutic approaches, interventions, or referrals to other professionals if
necessary.
 9. Document Findings: Finally, document the interpretation process and
findings in a clear and organized manner. By following these steps, clinicians can
effectively interpret MMPI-A profiles and use the results to inform treatment and
support for adolescents.

USES OF MMPI A
✔ Clinical Assessment: The MMPI-A is used to evaluate psychological
disorders and emotional problems in adolescents. It helps clinicians
identify symptoms of depression, anxiety, behavioural issues, and
other mental health concerns, providing a comprehensive profile of
the adolescent's psychological functioning.
✔ Treatment Planning: By understanding the specific psychological
issues and personality traits of adolescent, clinicians can develop
tailored treatment plans. The MMPI-A results can inform therapeutic
approaches, interventions, and goals based on the individual’s unique
profile.
✔ Forensic Evaluations: The MMPI-A is often utilized in forensic
settings to assess adolescents involved in legal matters, such as
juvenile delinquency cases. It helps psychologists evaluate the
psychological state of the adolescent, which can be crucial in court
proceedings and decisions regarding rehabilitation or sentencing.
✔ Educational Settings: In schools, the MMPI-A can be used to assess
students who may be experiencing emotional or behavioural
difficulties. The results can guide school counsellors and
psychologists in providing appropriate support and interventions to
help students succeed academically and socially.
✔ Research: The MMPI-A is frequently used in psychological research
to study adolescent behaviour, personality development, and
psychopathology. Researchers utilize the inventory to gather data on
various psychological constructs and to explore the relationships
between personality traits and behavioural outcomes.
 ✔ Personality Assessment: The MMPI-A provides insights into
personality characteristics and styles, helping clinicians understand
how an adolescent's personality may influence their behaviour and
interactions with others. This can be particularly useful in therapeutic
settings to foster self-awareness and personal growth.
✔ Monitoring Progress: The MMPI-A can be administered at different
points during treatment to monitor changes in the adolescent's
psychological state. This allows clinicians to assess the effectiveness
of interventions and make necessary adjustments to treatment plans.
✔ Crisis Intervention: In situations where an adolescent is in crisis, the
MMPI-A can help identify immediate psychological needs and risks.
The results can guide urgent interventions and support strategies to
ensure the adolescent's safety and well-being.

Overall, the MMPI-A is a versatile tool that serves multiple purposes in clinical,
educational, forensic, and research contexts, making it an essential component of
adolescent psychological assessment and intervention.

References

Archer, R. P. (2005). MMPI-A:Assessing adolescent psychopathology (3rd ed.).

Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Butcher, J. N., & Williams, C. L. (2000). Essentials of MMPI-2 and MMPI-A

interpretation (2nd ed.). University of Minnesota Press.

Butcher, J. N., Graham, J. R., Ben-Porath, Y. S., Tellegen, A., Dahlstrom, W. G.,
& Kaemmer, B. (1992). Manual for the MMPI-A. University of Minnesota Press.