🔍 Overview
The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) is one of the most widely used psychological assessment tools for evaluating personality structure and psychopathology. Chapter 6 focuses on the MMPI-2, designed for adults, while Chapter 7 covers the MMPI-A, tailored for adolescents.
🧩 MMPI-2 (Adult Version)
Purpose:
Assesses mental disorders, personality traits, and emotional functioning.
Used in clinical, forensic, and employment settings.
Structure:
Contains 567 true/false items.
Takes approximately 60–90 minutes to complete.
Validity Scales:
Detect response inconsistencies or exaggeration.
L (Lie)
F (Frequency)
K (Defensiveness)
VRIN/TRIN (Response Inconsistency)
Clinical Scales:
Measure psychological conditions:
Hypochondriasis (Hs)
Depression (D)
Hysteria (Hy)
Psychopathic Deviate (Pd)
Masculinity-Femininity (Mf)
Paranoia (Pa)
Psychasthenia (Pt)
Schizophrenia (Sc)
Hypomania (Ma)
Social Introversion (Si)
Interpretation:
Requires trained professionals.
Scores are compared to normative data.
T-scores above 65 are considered clinically significant.
🧩 MMPI-A (Adolescent Version)
Purpose:
Designed for adolescents aged 14–18.
Assesses emotional, behavioral, and social problems.
Structure:
Contains 478 true/false items.
Shorter and developmentally appropriate language.
Validity and Clinical Scales:
Similar to MMPI-2 but adapted for adolescent concerns.
Includes additional content scales relevant to youth (e.g., school problems, family issues).
Use:
Common in school psychology, juvenile justice, and clinical settings.
Helps identify behavioral concerns and guide treatment planning.
🧠 Key Differences Between MMPI-2 and MMPI-A
Feature MMPI-2 MMPI-A
Target Population Adults Adolescents (14–18 years)
Number of Items 567 478
Language Adult-oriented Youth-appropriate
Content Scales General psychopathology Includes adolescent-specific
📝 Quiz: MMPI-2 and MMPI-A (15 Questions)
Each question has one correct answer. Answers and explanations are provided below each question.
1. What is the primary purpose of the MMPI-2?
A) Measure intelligence
B) Assess personality and psychopathology
C) Diagnose physical illness
D) Evaluate academic performance Answer: B Explanation: MMPI-2 is designed to assess mental health and personality traits.
2. How many items are included in the MMPI-2?
A) 300
B) 478
C) 567
D) 600 Answer: C Explanation: MMPI-2 contains 567 true/false items.
3. Which scale in MMPI-2 detects exaggerated responses?
A) L
B) F
C) K
D) Si Answer: B Explanation: The F scale identifies unusual or exaggerated responses.
4. What age group is the MMPI-A designed for?
A) 10–13
B) 14–18
C) 19–25
D) Adults over 30 Answer: B Explanation: MMPI-A is tailored for adolescents aged 14–18.
5. Which MMPI-2 scale measures depression?
A) Hs
B) D
C) Pd
D) Ma Answer: B Explanation: The D scale assesses depressive symptoms.
6. What does the K scale in MMPI-2 measure?
A) Defensiveness
B) Anxiety
C) Paranoia
D) Introversion Answer: A Explanation: The K scale evaluates defensiveness in responses.
7. Which MMPI-A scale might assess school-related problems?
A) Sc
B) Pd
C) Content scales
D) VRIN Answer: C Explanation: MMPI-A includes content scales specific to adolescent issues like school problems.
8. What is a T-score above 65 considered?
A) Normal
B) Invalid
C) Clinically significant
D) Below average Answer: C Explanation: T-scores above 65 suggest potential clinical concern.
9. Which MMPI-2 scale assesses social withdrawal?
A) Ma
B) Si
C) Pa
D) Hy Answer: B Explanation: The Si scale measures social introversion.
10. What type of items are used in MMPI tests?
A) Multiple choice
B) Essay
C) True/False
D) Likert scale Answer: C Explanation: MMPI uses true/false items for simplicity and consistency.
11. What does the VRIN scale measure?
A) Verbal reasoning
B) Response inconsistency
C) Visual memory
D) Risk-taking Answer: B Explanation: VRIN detects inconsistent responses across similar items.
12. Who should interpret MMPI results?
A) Teachers
B) Parents
C) Trained professionals
D) Participants themselves Answer: C Explanation: MMPI interpretation requires professional training due to its complexity.
13. Which MMPI-2 scale assesses psychotic symptoms?
A) Sc
B) Mf
C) Hy
D) Pd Answer: A Explanation: The Sc scale evaluates symptoms related to schizophrenia.
14. What is a key difference between MMPI-2 and MMPI-A?
A) MMPI-A is longer
B) MMPI-A uses essay questions
C) MMPI-A is designed for adolescents
D) MMPI-2 is used only in schools Answer: C Explanation: MMPI-A is specifically developed for adolescent populations.
15. Why is MMPI-A language adapted?
A) To reduce reading time
B) To match adolescent comprehension
C) To simplify scoring
D) To avoid clinical terms Answer: B Explanation: MMPI-A uses developmentally appropriate language for adolescents.