MINNESOTA MULTIPHASIC PERSONALITY INVENTORY-2 (MMPI-2) Practical file, Study Guides, Projects, Research of Clinical Psychology

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MINNESOTA MULTIPHASIC PERSONALITY

INVENTORY-2 (MMPI-2)

PROBLEM: To study the personality profile of the subject using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2 ). INTRODUCTION: The word “personality” originates from the Latin word “persona” which means a mask worn by an actor in a play. When psychologists define personality , they tend to refer to qualities within a person, characteristics of a person’s behaviour, or both. Personality is generally defined as an individual’s unique and relatively stable patterns of behaviour, thoughts and emotions. (Baron, 1993). According to ALLPORT (1955), Personality is the dynamic organization within the individual of those psychophysical systems that determine his characteristics behaviour and thought. There are many theories of personality like: the Psychoanalytic Theory, Behavioural Theory, Cognitive Theory, Trait and Type Theory, etc., The Psychoanalytic Theory of Personality The psychoanalytic theory was developed by Sigmund Freud and argued that human personality comprises three elements, the id, the ego, and the superego. These three elements are said to work together to produce our character. The Humanistic Theory of Personality Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers developed the humanistic theory of personality. They explained that personality stems from one’s desire to achieve their potential and focuses on psychological growth, free will, and personal awareness. Trait Theory The trait theory of personality was developed by Raymond Cattell, who argued that a person’s personality is a series of traits that are stable over time. The approach narrows down a person’s personality to five core traits: openness, agreeableness, extraversion, neuroticism, and conscientiousness. Social Cognitive Theory The social cognitive theory was developed by Albert Bandura and described how personality is developed through social learning and cognition. According to the theory, personality is formed by watching and learning from others and choosing whether to emulate their behaviour. Biological Perspective on Personality The biological perspective on personality focuses on biology’s role, specifically genetics, in exploring the things that shape a person’s personality. According to previous studies,

personality is somehow heritable meaning that a component of personality does come from genetics. Behaviourist Theory The behaviourist theory states that the environment around the said person develops a person’s personality. The theory basically tries to explain how personalities are learnt and then reinforced by the person’s environment. PERSONALITY INVENTORIES: Personality inventories are self-rating questionnaires that deal not only with overt behaviour but also with the person’s own feelings about himself, others and his environment resulting from introspection. Commonly used personality inventories01 include the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) , and the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) was developed in the late 1930s by psychologist Starke R. Hathaway and psychiatrist J.C. McKinley at the University of Minnesota. Today, it is a frequently used clinical testing instrument and one of the most researched psychological tests in existence. The original MMPI was developed to diagnose specific psychological disorders such as depression and schizophrenia. The basic purpose of the test was to differentiate among various types of mental patients as well as to distinguish between mental patients and normal people. In the years after the test was first published, clinicians and researchers began to question the accuracy of the MMPI. Critics pointed out that the original sample group was inadequate. Others argued that the results indicated possible test bias, while some felt the test contained sexist and racist questions. In response to these issues, the MMPI underwent a revision in the late 1980s. Many questions were removed or reworded, while a number of new questions were added. Additionally, new validity scales were incorporated in the revised test. The revised edition of the test was released in 1989 as the MMPI-2. The MMPI-2 is appropriate for adolescents as young as age 13, but is primarily for adults. The MMPI- contains 567 test items and understanding of the items requires a minimum eighth-grade reading level, and completing the test requires some 60 to 90 minutes on the average. Q DEMOGRAPHIC DETAILS- Name: S. T Age: 23 Gender: female Education: Graduated METHODOLOGY Description of the test: The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) was developed in the late 1930s by psychologist Starke R. Hathaway and psychiatrist J.C. McKinley at the University of Minnesota. The MMPI-2 is most commonly used by mental

health professionals to assess and diagnose mental illness but it has also been used as a screening instrument for certain high-risk professions such as being an astronaut. The current version, MMPI-2 contains 10 clinical scales and 7 validity scales with 567 test items. The subject has to judge each statement as ‘true’ or ‘false’ for her/him. It is untimed and can take anywhere from 60-90 minutes to complete. It id normally done in a single session, but can be extended to a second session if necessary. Some of the specific conditions or syndromes that test can help identify include hypochondriasis, depression, hysteria, paranoia and schizophrenia. Limitations of MMPI-2:  Subject may consider some of the questions as invasive to their privacy.  MMPI-2 is a very lengthy test consisting of 567 statements. The subjects got bored and it is difficult to conduct on depressed patients.  Subject usually have a tendency to respond in the same manner to all the items. It is called as response set.  Environmental, cultural and even religious differences are bound to occur. Sometimes the subject keeps ageing with items. even though they don’t apply to him or her. It is called Aquiscense. It can only be administered to literate people. Applications of MMPI-2:  MMP1 2 contributes immensely to assessments in a wide variety of settings including inpatient and outpatient’s mental health, personnel, forensic and corrections.  In a number of non-clinical settings like employment, screening, admission to academic Programmes, military induction, MMPI – 2, has proved to be useful. Material Required: MMPI-2 question booklet. Answer sheet, scoring sheet and manual, Pen/ Pencil Procedure: Before calling in the subject, all the material was kept handy. The MMPI question booklet and answer sheet, pen / pencil was kept ready. The seating arrangement was done so as to make the subject comfortably sit on the left side of the tester (L-shaped seating arrangement). Rapport was then established by giving him a brief detail of the study. It was also ensured that the details were explained to the participant in the language which was most agreeable to him/her. All the arrangements regarding the test were arranged in an appropriate manner and the participant’s preliminary information was taken. Then she was given the instructions and asked if we could proceed with the test. After giving specific instructions and on completion of the test, she was asked to write an introspective report. The participant’s concerns if any were also managed for the smooth administration of the test.

Instructions: The participant was given the following instructions before beginning with the test- ‘I will be giving you a question booklet and an answer sheet. The question booklet consists of numbered statements. Read each statement and decide whether it is true as applied to you or false as applied to you. You are to mark your answers on the answer sheet you have. If a statement is true or mostly true, as applied to you, blacken the circle marked T and if a statement is false or not usually true as applied to you, blacken the circle marked F. Remember to give your own opinion of yourself and do try to attempt all questions. If you have any doubt, please feel free to ask’. Scoring: MMPI raw scores are transformed into standardized T-scores where the mean is 50 and the SD is 10. A T-score of 65 or greater indicates clinically significant psychopathology on the MMPI-2. Precautions:

1. It was made sure that all the environmental conditions such as adequate room temperature, ventilation, lighting and comfortable sitting arrangement was provided to the subject.
2. All relevant materials were concealed and taken out when required.
3. The purpose of the test was not revealed to the subject even after the administration.
4. Adequate support was formed so as to provide the subject with the sense of ease and comfort so as to ensure correct responses.
5. Instructions were read out thoroughly and the subject was encouraged to clarify her doubts.
6. The subject was quietly observed while being tested.
7. It was made sure that the subject was asked about any past or present psychiatric illness or intake of any kind of drug. Observation of the behaviour: The participant was calm and composed when the test materials was to her. She listened patiently to the instructions and asked whenever she was uncertain. She was very cooperative and enthusiastic to take the test. She took 1.5 hours to complete the test. After completing the test, she seemed to be very relaxed.

Retrospective report: “Initially, I was very excited to take this test. The instructions given to me were very clear and simple. The statements from the test seemed to be very interesting and I could relate to most of them. However, I was feeling quite tired as I progressed but as soon as it was over, I felt relaxed. I was able to learn so much about myself and my personality with this test. Scale VRI N TRIN F Fb Fp L K S Hs D Hy Pd Mf Pa Pt Sc Ma Si Raw score

T score 70 99F 85 81 81 47 - 37 49 37 39 36 74 49 37 59 59 58 INTERPRETATION AND DISCUSSION: The applicant’s performance on the MMPI-2 suggests that he is outgoing and considers himself to have few psychological problems. However, his overuse of denial and his tendency to overextend himself may occasionally cause problems. He tends to be very aggressive, overconfident, and somewhat self-centred, with an unrealistic view of his capabilities. He tends to be an expressive, spontaneous person who might act or make decisions without careful consideration of the consequences. Without apparent cause, he may become somewhat elated, and at other times he may be moody and irritable. He seems to lack the broad cultural interests that are characteristic of many individuals with his level of Education. He believes it is acceptable to break rules as long as you don’t get caught. Items that the applicant endorsed suggest that he may be experiencing some of the following feelings associated with low mood. He is preoccupied with feelings of guilt and worthlessness and feels that he deserves punishment for the wrongs he has committed. The c ontent of this applicant’s MMPI-2 responses suggests the following additional information concerning his interpersonal relations. He appears to have rather cynical views about life. Any work involving cooperative effort may be affected by his negativism. He may view relationships with others as threatening and harmful. He feels some family conflict, but he does not seem to view this as a major problem in his life. He may be viewed as irritable and competitive. He may experience some interpersonal problems at times because of his aggressiveness. Seminary applicants with this MMPI-2 profile tend to be quite enthusiastic, energetic, and oriented toward human service work. There is some possibility that they might be very impulsive at times. In Addition, they tend to take on more activities than they can manage or make more promises than they can fulfil. Although the applicant appears to be hard-driving and expansive, he may become overextended and have trouble completing projects. He is frequently overconfident and may make promises that are difficult to keep. He also tends to dislike practical matters, preferring to be rather vague and superficial. There is some possibility that his interpersonal style may be a bit overbearing and might create strained relationships.

REFERENCES:

Boyle. G, Matthews. G, Saklofske. D (2008), The SAGE Handbook of Personality Theory and Assessment, New Delhi: SAGE Publications India Pvt Ltd. Domino. G, Domino. M (2006), Psychological Testing : An Introduction, Cambridge University Press 2006