The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) is a frequently used personality test.  The original MMPI was developed at the University of Minnesota and was first published in 1942 to identify personal, social, and behavioral problems, and to provide relevant information to aid in diagnosis and treatment planning.  Often, the test is used for job screening and other non-clinical assessments.  Clinicians pay a fee each time it is administered.

MMPI-2 (1989) is the current standardized version for persons 18 and over.  The MMPI-2 has 567 True or False items and takes an hour or more to complete. The first 370 items are used as a short form of MMPI-2.

Ten clinical scales are used in assessment, and are as follows:

hypochondriasis, depression, hysteria, psychopathic deviate, masculinity-femininity, paranoia, psychasthenia, schizophrenia, mania, and social introversion; and three validity scales i.e., truthfulness, cooperation (not random answers), and response style.

MMPI-A (Adolescent) is used with people between the ages of 14 to 18.  The inventory has 467 True or False items and includes the same 13 scales of the MMPI and MMPI-2, as well as validity and content scales.

In addition to MMPI scores, valid psychological assessment requires the use of background information and a mental status examination to put test results into context.