Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Adolescent

I am getting scores but no profile on an MMPI-A report for a 13-year-old. Is it valid?

The MMPI-A instrument was developed for young people between the ages of 14 and 18 (normative group). It may be appropriate to assess 13-year-olds if they are mature enough to answer the items meaningfully and if they read at the requisite level. Because 13-year-olds were not included in the normative sample, the scores are shown but are not plotted in the Extended Score Report. However, the scores are plotted on The Minnesota Report.

What are the demographic default values for an MMPI-A administration?

The Adolescent System Interpretive Report defaults to the following demographic if it is omitted: Setting: Outpatient.

Test Date, Birth Date, ID Number, and Gender must be filled in. The software will not print any type of report without this information. Age is calculated from the Test Date and Birth Date.

Where can I find information on the critical items for the MMPI-A test?

Additional information on the development of the standard set of critical items for the MMPI-A test can be found in A Critical Item Set for the MMPI-A and Supplement to the MMPI-A Manual (University of Minnesota Press). This test monograph and manual supplement are available from Pearson (product numbers 29430 and 25036). Critical items are included in the Minnesota Report and the Extended Score Report.

Is there a section in the MMPI-A manual that compares the MMPI, MMPI-2, and MMPI-A items?

Yes. In Appendix E, there is a list of similar items on the three assessments. A dash in the table indicates that the item is not on that particular assessment.

What is F₁?

F is a validity scale measuring more bizarre responses (i.e., responses chosen by less than 10% of normal people). F₁ is like F on the MMPI-2 test, and F₂ is like F_B on the MMPI-2 test. F is the average of those two (F₁ and F₂). For more information, see the MMPI-A manual.

Why does the TRIN scale have a "T" or an "F" plotted above the mean (50T) on the profile?

T is printed when the raw score is greater than 9, and F is printed when the raw score is less than or equal to 9. See the MMPI-A manual for more information about the TRIN scale.

What is the difference between the Depression scale in the Clinical Scales and the Depression scale in the Content Scales?

The Depression scale in the Clinical Scales is a heterogeneous measure of depression (it measures more than one facet of depression). This scale was developed on psychiatric patients with various forms of symptomatic depression. The Depression scale in the Clinical Scales measures discomfort and dissatisfaction with life, characterized by poor morale, lack of hope in the future, denial of happiness and self-worth, withdrawal, psychomotor retardation, and other facets of symptomatic depression.

The Depression scale in the Content Scales measures only one facet of depression, self-reported depressive thoughts.

What effect does age have on MMPI-A scores?

The MMPI-A instrument was developed for young people between the ages of 14 and 18 (normative group).

Clinicians administering the MMPI-A instrument to clients 12 or 13 years old should be aware that they are using the instrument with an age group that has a higher incidence of difficulty with the assessment and therefore they should be cautious in their interpretations. The MMPI-A instrument is probably developmentally inappropriate for children under 12.

Normative and clinical samples for both the MMPI-2 and the MMPI-A instruments include 18-year-olds, so the clinician should make a case-by-case judgment about which assessment to use with 18-year-old clients. A suggested guideline would be to use the MMPI-A instrument with 18-year-olds who are still in high school and the MMPI-2 instrument with 18-year-olds who are in college, working, or living an otherwise independent adult lifestyle.

How do I enter an Abbreviated MMPI-A test in Q Local software?

To facilitate an Abbreviated MMPI-A test administration, all of the items needed to score the 10 Clinical Scales and 3 Validity Scales L, F₁, and K appear within the first 350 items. To enter an Abbreviated MMPI-A test in Manual Entry, simply enter a “2” for “Abbreviated” under “Type” in the demographics. Enter the client’s responses to the first 350 items of the test only, then save and print. To administer an Abbreviated MMPI-A test in On-Screen Entry, choose “Abbreviated” in the administrator demographics when this option appears. The On-Screen administration will end after the first 350 items are administered.

What scales can be scored if only the first 350 items are administered?

Clinical, validity (L, F1, K), and clinical subscales (Harris-Lingoes and Si subscales).

If I have a client answer the first 350 items and choose to print an Extended Score Report, will I have scorable validity indicators (L, F₁, K), clinical scales, and clinical subscales (Harris-Lingoes and Si subscales)?

Yes. These scales will be scorable, but any scales with items that fall beyond 350 will not be complete (e.g., more recent validity indicators, content scales, supplementary scales).

Where can I find information on the PSY-5 Scales and Content Component Scales for the MMPI-A test?

PSY-5 (Personality Psychopathology-Five) Scales and Content Component Scales were added to the MMPI-A Extended Score Report and hand-scoring materials in 2006 and to The Minnesota Report in 2007. A manual supplement is available that contains information on these newly released scales. This manual supplement is available from Pearson (product number 25036).