TEST AUTHORS:  Yossef Ben-Porath, Ph.D., and Auke Tellegen, Ph.D.
PUBLISHER:  University of Minnesota Press
DISTRIBUTOR:  Pearson Assessments
DATE OF PUBLICATION:  2020

Administration:  Computer, CD, or paper-and-pencil
Length:  335 True-False items
Administration Time:  35-50 minutes
Minimum Reading Level:  5th grade (Lexile average), 4.5 grade (Flesch-Kincaid)
Age:  18 years and older
Norm Group: Updated for the first time since the mid-1980s and designed to match U.S. Census Bureau demographic projections for 2020, the MMPI-3 normative sample includes 810 men and 810 women ages 18 and older from diverse communities throughout the United States.

A Response to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Policy about the MMPI-3

The 335-item MMPI-3 consists of 52 scales:

Validity Scales
Higher-Order (H-O) Scales
Restructured Clinical (RC) Scales
Somatic/Cognitive Scales
Internalizing Scales
Externalizing Scales
Interpersonal Scales
Personality Psychopathology Five (PSY-5) Scales

Validity Scales

CRIN — Combined Response Inconsistency — Combination of random and fixed inconsistent responding
VRIN — Variable Response Inconsistency — Random responding
TRIN — True Response Inconsistency — Fixed responding
F — Infrequent Responses — Responses infrequent in the general population
Fp — Infrequent Psychopathology Responses — Responses infrequent in psychiatric populations
Fs — Infrequent Somatic Responses — Somatic complaints infrequent in medical patient populations
FBS — Symptom Validity Scale — Non-credible somatic and cognitive complaints
RBS — Response Bias Scale — Exaggerated memory complaints
L — Uncommon Virtues — Rarely claimed moral attributes or activities
K — Adjustment Validity — Uncommonly high level of psychological adjustment

Higher-Order (H-O) Scales

EID — Emotional / Internalizing Dysfunction — Problems associated with mood and affect
THD — Thought Dysfunction — Problems associated with disordered thinking
BXD — Behavioral / Externalizing Dysfunction — Problems associated with under-controlled behavior

Restructured Clinical (RC) Scales

RCd — Demoralization (DEM) — General unhappiness and dissatisfaction
RC1 — Somatic Complaints (SOM) — Diffuse physical health complaints
RC2 — Low Positive Emotions (LPE) — Lack of positive emotional responsiveness
RC4 — Antisocial Behavior (ASB) — Rule breaking and irresponsible behavior
RC6 — Ideas of Persecution (PER) — Self-referential beliefs that others pose a threat
RC7 — Dysfunctional Negative Emotions (DNE) — Maladaptive anxiety, anger, irritability
RC8 — Aberrant Experiences (ABX) — Unusual perceptions or thoughts associated with thought dysfunction
RC9 — Hypomanic Activation (HPM) — Overactivation, aggression, impulsivity, and grandiosity

Somatic/Cognitive Scales

MLS — Malaise — Overall sense of physical debilitation, poor health
NUC — Neurological Complaints — Dizziness, weakness, paralysis, loss of balance, etc.
EAT — Eating concerns — Problematic eating behaviors
COG — Cognitive Complaints — Memory problems, difficulties concentrating

Internalizing Scales

SUI — Suicidal/Death Ideation — Direct reports of suicidal ideation and recent attempts
HLP — Helplessness/Hopelessness — Belief that goals cannot be reached or problems solved
SFD — Self-Doubt — Lack of self-confidence, feelings of uselessness
NFC — Inefficacy — Belief that one is indecisive and inefficacious
STR — Stress — Problems involving stress and nervousness
WRY — Worry — Excessive worry and preoccupation
CMP — Compulsivity — Engaging in compulsive behaviors
ARX — Anxiety-Related Experiences — Multiple anxiety-related experiences such as catastrophizing, panic, dread, and intrusive ideation
ANP — Anger Proneness — Becoming easily angered, impatient with others
BRF — Behavior-Restricting Fears — Fears that significantly inhibit normal behavior

Externalizing Scales

FML — Family Problems — Conflictual family relationships
JCP — Juvenile Conduct Problems — Difficulties at school and at home, stealing
SUB — Substance Abuse — Current and past misuse of alcohol and drugs
IMP — Impulsivity — Poor impulse control and nonplanful behavior
ACT — Activation — Heightened excitation and energy level
AGG — Aggression — Physically aggressive, violent behavior
CYN —Cynicism — Non-self-referential beliefs that others are bad and not to be trusted

Interpersonal Scales

SFI — Self-Importance — Beliefs related to having special talents and abilities
DOM — Dominance — Being domineering in relationships with others
DSF — Disaffiliativeness — Disliking people and being around them
SAV — Social Avoidance — Not enjoying and avoiding social events
SHY — Shyness — Feeling uncomfortable and anxious in the presence of others

Personality Psychopathology Five (PSY-5) Scales

AGGR — Aggressiveness — Instrumental, goal-directed aggression
PSYC — Psychoticism — Disconnection from reality
DISC — Disconstraint — Under-controlled behavior
NEGE — Negative Emotionality / Neuroticism — Anxiety, insecurity, worry, and fear
INTR — Introversion / Low Positive Emotionality-Revised — Social disengagement and anhedonia

MMPI-3 book-based exams are available for the following Press titles:

• Assessing Police and Other Public Safety Personnel With the MMPI-3: A Practical Guide
• Interpreting the MMPI-3

Psychologists may earn APA Continuing Education (CE) credits by reading the book and passing the exam. For more information, please click here.

Published MMPI-3 translations are available for purchase directly through the Press’ international publishing partners. Please click here to review the complete list of translations.

Summer 2024

It is the publisher’s intention to provide a current and comprehensive list of references to publications on the MMPI-3. Therefore, the MMPI-3 Reference List is updated as new publications appear. Additionally, MMPI-2-RF research can be used as a guide for MMPI-3 interpretation. For more information, refer to the MMPI-3 Technical Manual, Appendix E.

• To download the MMPI-3 reference list, click here
• To download the MMPI-2-RF reference list, click here
• To search the University of Minnesota Press Reference Database, click here