Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2

The MMPI-2, a revision of the original MMPI (1943) was published by the University of Minnesota Press in 1989 and revised in 2001. Updates were introduced in 2003 (The Restructured Clinical [RC] Scales) and 2006 (The Symptom Validity [FBS] Scale) documented in a test monograph in 2009. The MMPI-2 is a self-report instrument designed to aid in the assessment of a wide range of clinical conditions. It is used in nonclinical settings to assess candidates for high-risk public safety positions, and in criminal and civil forensic settings.

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Basic Information

AUTHORS:

2001 Manual: James N. Butcher, Ph.D., John R. Graham, Ph.D., Yossef S. Ben-Porath, Ph.D., Auke Tellegen, Ph.D., W. Grant Dahlstrom, Ph.D., and Beverly Kaemmer, Coordinator for the Press

2003 RC Scales Test Monograph: Auke Tellegen, Ph.D.,Yossef S. Ben-Porath, Ph.D., John L. McNulty, Ph.D., Paul A. Arbisi, Ph.D., John R. Graham, Ph.D., and Beverly Kaemmer

2009 FBS Test Monograph: Yossef S. Ben-Porath, Ph.D., John R. Graham, Ph.D., Auke Tellegen, Ph.D.

PUBLISHER: University of Minnesota Press
DISTRIBUTOR: Pearson Assessments
DATES OF PUBLICATION: 1989, 2001 (revised), updated 2003 and 2009

Administration: Computer, CD, or paper-and-pencil
Length: 567 True-False items
Administration Time: 60-90 minutes
Minimum Reading Level: 5th grade (Lexile average), 4.6 grade (Flesch-Kincaid)
Age: 18 years and older
Norm Group: Nationwide community sample of adult men and women consists of 1,138 males and 1,462 females between the ages of 18 and 80 from several regions and diverse communities within the U.S.

MMPI-2 Scales

The 567-item MMPI-2 is composed of over 120 scales:

Validity Indicators
Superlative Self-Presentation Subscales
Clinical Scales
Restructured Clinical (RC) Scales
Content Scales
Content Component Scales
Supplementary Scales
Clinical Subscales (Harris-Lingoes and Social Introversion Subscales)

Validity Indicators

?(CNS) - Cannot Say (reported as a raw score)
VRIN - Variable Response Inconsistency
TRIN - True Response Inconsistency
F - Infrequency
F_B - Back F
F_P - Infrequency – Psychopathology
FBS - Symptom Validity
L - Lie
K - Correction
S - Superlative Self-Presentation

Superlative Self-Presentation Subscales

S₁ - Beliefs in Human goodness
S₂ - Serenity
S₃ - Contentment with Life
S₄ - Patience / Denial of Irritability
S₅ - Denial of Moral Flaws

Clinical Scales

1 Hs - Hypochondriasis
2 D - Depression
3 Hy - Hysteria
4 Pd - Psychopathic Deviate
5 Mf - Masculinity/Femininity
6 Pa - Paranoia
7 Pt - Psychasthenia
8 Sc - Schizophrenia
9 Ma- Hypomania
0 Si - Social Introversion

Restructured Clinical (RC) Scales

RCd (dem) - Demoralization
RC1 (som) - Somatic Complaints
RC2 (lpe) - Low Positive Emotions
RC3 (cyn) - Cynicism
RC4 (asb) - Antisocial Behavior
RC6 (per) - Ideas of Persecution
RC7 (dne) - Dysfunctional Negative Emotions
RC8 (abx) - Aberrant Experiences
RC9 (hpm) - Hypomanic Activation

Clinical Subscales

Harris-Lingoes Subscales
D₁ - Subjective Depression
D₂ - Psychomotor Retardation
D₃ - Physical Malfunctioning
D₄ - Mental Dullness
D₅ - Brooding
Hy₁ - Denial of Social Anxiety
Hy₂ - Need for Affection
Hy₃ - Lassitude-Malaise
Hy₄ - Somatic Complaints
Hy₅ - Inhibition of Aggression
Pd₁ - Familial Discord
Pd2 - Authority Problems
Pd₃ - Social Imperturbability
Pd₄ - Social Alienation
Pd₅ - Self-Alienation
Pa₁ - Persecutory Ideas
Pa₂ - Poignancy
Pa₃ - Naïveté
Sc₁ - Social Alienation
Sc₂ - Emotional Alienation
Sc₃ - Lack of Ego Mastery-Cognitive
Sc₄ - Lack of Ego Mastery-Conative
Sc₅ - Lack of Ego Mastery-Defective Inhibition
Sc₆ - Bizarre Sensory Experiences
Ma₁- Amorality
Ma₂- Psychomotor Acceleration
Ma₃- Imperturbability
Ma₄- Ego Inflation

Social Introversion Subscales
Si₁ - Shyness / Self-Consciousness
Si₂ - Social Avoidance
Si₃ - Alienation - Self and Others

Content Scales

ANX - Anxiety
FRS - Fears
OBS - Obsessiveness
DEP - Depression
HEA - Health Concerns
BIZ - Bizarre Mentation
ANG - Anger
CYN - Cynicism
ASP - Antisocial Practices
TPA - Type A
LSE - Low Self-Esteem
SOD - Social Discomfort
FAM - Family Problems
WRK - Work Interference
TRT - Negative Treatment Indicators

Content Component Scales

FRS₁ - Generalized Fearfulness
FRS₂ - Multiple Fears
DEP₁ - Lack of Drive
DEP₂ - Dysphoria
DEP₃ - Self-Depreciation
DEP₄ - Suicidal Ideation
HEA₁ - Gastrointestinal Symptoms
HEA₂ - Neurological Symptoms
HEA₃ - General Health Concerns
BIZ₁- Psychotic Symptomatology
BIZ₂- Schizotypal Characteristics
ANG₁ -Explosive Behavior
ANG₂ -Irritability
CYN₁ -Misanthropic Beliefs
CYN₂ -Interpersonal Suspiciousness
ASP₁ - Antisocial Attitudes
ASP₂ - Antisocial Behavior
TPA₁ - Impatience
TPA₂ - Competitive Drive
LSE₁ - Self-Doubt
LSE₂ - Submissiveness
SOD₁ -Introversion
SOD₂ -Shyness
FAM₁ - Family Discord
FAM₂ - Familial Alienation
TRT₁ - Low Motivation
TRT₂ - Inability to Disclose

Supplmentary Scales

PSY-5 (Personality Psychopathology Five)
AGGR -Aggressiveness
PSYC -Psychoticism
DISC - Disconstraint
NEGE -Negative Emotionality / Neuroticism
INTR - Introversion / Low Positive Emotionality

Broad Personality Characteristics
A - Anxiety
R - Repression
Es - Ego Strength
Do -Dominance
Re -Social Responsibility

Generalized Emotional Distress
Mt - College Maladjustment
PK - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder – Keane
MDS - Marital Distress

Behavioral Dyscontrol
Ho - Hostility
O-H - Overcontrolled Hostility
MAC-R - MacAndrew-Revised
AAS - Addiction Admission
APS - Addiction Potential

Gender Role
GM - Gender Role – Masculine
GF - Gender Role – Feminine

Frequently Asked Questions

ADMINISTRATION, SCORING & INTERPRETATION

What is required to purchase, administer and score the MMPI® test materials?

A Level "C" qualification is required to purchase MMPI® materials from Pearson Assessments, please see the user qualifications.

NORMS

Are different norms used for different settings

No. However, there are different norms for the MMPI-2 and MMPI-A tests.

The MMPI-2 normative sample consists of 2,600 individuals (1,138 men; 1,462 women), age 18 or older, who were selected as representative of the US population.

Are there norms for different cultures?

American minorities are included in the normative samples. No separate cultural norms are available.

Are non-gendered norms available for all MMPI-2 scales?

Yes. A complete set of non-gendered T scores for all MMPI-2 scales is provided in a test monograph by Yossef S. Ben-Porath and Johnathan D. Forbey titled Non-Gendered Norms for the MMPI-2, published by the University of Minnesota Press (2003). The monograph documents the rationale for, as well as the development and use of, non-gendered norms for the MMPI-2. This test monograph is available from Pearson Assessments.

THE PSY-5 (PERSONALITY PSYCHOPATHOLOGY FIVE) SCALES

What are the PSY-5 scales, and where can I find information about them?

Harkness and McNulty developed a model for assessing psychopathology based on the "Big Five" model of personality. They selected items from the MMPI-2 item pool that matched their model and developed five scales: Aggressiveness (AGGR), Psychoticism (PSYC), Disconstraint (DISC), Negative Emotionality/Neuroticism (NEGE), and Introversion/Low Positive Emotionality (INTR). The Personality Psychopathology Five (PSY-5) Scales were introduced in 2001 and are available on the Extended Score Report, the Minnesota Reports, and in the hand-scoring Supplementary Scales materials. Additional information about the PSY-5 Scales can be found in the revised MMPI-2 Manual for Administration, Scoring, and Interpretation (2001; published by the University of Minnesota Press and available from Pearson Assessments) and MMPI-2 Personality Psychopathology Five (PSY-5) Scales: Gaining an Overview for Case Conceptualization and Treatment Planning (2002; published by the University of Minnesota Press and available from Pearson Assessments.

NON-K-CORRECTED T SCORES

Which MMPI-2 materials contain non-K-corrected T Scores?

An optional profile of the Validity and Clinical Scales incorporating non-K-corrected T scores is provided in the computerized Extended Score Report, and a hand-scoring Validity and Clinical Scales Profile form for K- and non-K-corrected scores is available. Also, Appendix A of the 2001 MMPI-2 Manual for Administration, Scoring, and Interpretation provides raw score conversion tables for both K- and non-K-corrected T scores.

Why were non-K-corrected T scores re-introduced in the Extended Score Report?

Research indicates that the K correction does not enhance validity and that in some cases validity is actually attenuated by applying the K correction to the Clinical Scales. Non-K-corrected T scores allow interpreters to examine the relative contributions of the Clinical Scale raw score and the K correction to K-corrected Clinical Scale T scores. This information may be particularly helpful when the K score deviates substantially from the average T-score range (<40 or >65). Because all other MMPI-2 scores that aid in the interpretation of the Clinical Scales (the Harris-Lingoes Subscales, Restructured Clinical Scales, Content and Content Component Scales, PSY-5 Scales, and Supplementary Scales) are not K-corrected, they can be compared most directly with non-K-corrected T scores.

What does research indicate about the K correction?

The K correction does not improve individual scale validity in any setting. It significantly attenuates individual scale validity in non-clinical settings; the detrimental effects are most pronounced in settings in which defensive responding is frequent.

K-corrected code types are no more valid, and are often less valid, as predictors of correlates in clinical settings. Non-K-corrected correlates (i.e., correlations with extra-test criteria) are similar in composition to K-corrected correlates, but are often stronger in magnitude. Therefore, non-K-corrected code types can be interpreted with greater confidence based on the existing literature.

MMPI-2 Non-K-Corrected Scores

Doubts about the utility of the K correction have resulted in a renewed emphasis on examination and interpretation of non-K-corrected scores on the MMPI-2 Clinical Scales. The procedure was developed in the early 1940s by Meehl and Hathaway to correct scores on the Clinical Scales for the effects of under-reporting. However, questions about its utility can be traced back to the initial validation data reported by McKinley, Hathaway, and Meehl (1948) who examined whether applying the K correction improved diagnostic accuracy and reported mixed results. Subsequent research, reviewed by Dahlstrom and Welsh (1960), showed no improvement in differentiating patients from normals and in some cases (in criminal and delinquent groups in particular) applying the K correction actually weakened the distinctions between these two groups.

“The few studies available that provide cross-validational evidence on the K corrections have been based on cases in the latter [criminal justice] situations. In these situations the K scale corrections do not seem to be beneficial, and may actually reduce the effective separations obtained without K corrections.” p. 154

In a later review, Dahlstrom, Welsh, and Dahlstrom (1972) reported that subsequent K-correction studies also did not support its utility.

Current MMPI-2 textbooks have also cautioned about the limitations of the K correction. Greene (2000) states:

“Little research justifies the continued widespread use of the K-correction of the Clinical Scales. Hopefully, future research will investigate this area more thoroughly … clinicians probably need to avoid using K-corrections in settings in which normal persons are evaluated.” (p. 96)

Graham (2006) states:

“… it is this author’s recommendation that in non-clinical applications of the MMPI-2 both K-corrected and uncorrected scores be generated and that emphasis be placed on uncorrected scores when K-scale scores are significantly above or below average” (p. 225)

To facilitate consideration of scores on the non-K-corrected scores in MMPI-2 interpretation, the Extended Score Report provides both K-corrected and non-K-corrected Clinical Scale profiles. Hand scoring materials for the non-K-corrected profiles are available as well.

Books, Monographs, and Instructor Training Slides

Translations

Published MMPI-2 translations are available for purchase directly through the Press’ international publishing partners. Please click here to review the complete list of translations.