1. William P. Wattles, Ph.D. Francis Marion University
MMPI-2
William P. Wattles, Ph.D.
Francis Marion University

2. MMPI-2 with Adolescents
Should not be used with people less than 18

3. MMPI-2 with Older Adults
Higher scores on:
1, 2, 3, 0
Lower scores on:
4, 9
MMPI-2 generally valid with older adults

4. Studies with older adults
Most studies cross-sectional
Cohort factors
One longitudinal study found similar results
Differences do not suggest pathology but genuine concerns about health.
Age-related changes in physical health

5. Cohort Effects
Patterns of disease frequency due to an exposure occurring to a group of people at about the same time in their lives

6. MMPI-2 with Ethnic Minorities
Assessing MMPI-2 and minorities
Any difference = bias
Assess Validity

7. Data on African-Americans
Slightly higher scores on scales 8 & 9.
Not seen when matched for demographics, ses
Differences tend to be associated with relevant extratest characteristics.

8. Explanation for differences
Accurate measurement of different personality traits.
Social desirability
Role conflicts
Modesty expectations
Language/experience

9. MMPI-2 with Ethnic Minorities
No consistent differences across all populations
Moderator variables such as education, income, age, and type of pathology explain most differences.

10. MMPI-2 with Hispanics
Differences between groups relatively small and not statistically or clinically significant.
Language and reading obviously an issue.

11. Medical Patients
Large Mayo clinic study suggests that medical problems alone do not result in elevated profiles.

12. Screening for Substance Abuse
Elevated Scale 4
Mac Andrews Scale
AAS
APS
Beware false negatives

13. MMPI-2 and employment screening
Screen for psychopathology
Limited to sensitive occupations
Air traffic controller
Police officer
Nuclear power plant operator
Predict quality of job performance
Negative work attitude scale interesting
MMPI-2 Not recommended

14. MMPI-2 and employment screening
Applicants usually defensive.
Invalid profile for defensiveness should not be cause to disqualify.
Thus, scores above 65 meaningful
60-65 may indicate problems.

15. Report writing Interpretive strategy Use MMPI-2 to generate hypotheses
Not all interpretive data applies to each subject
MMPI-2 deal in probabilities
Blind interpretation problematic

16. Report writing Test-taking attitude
Missing items may indicate indecisiveness, ambivalence
Long test times can mean indecisiveness, confusion
Qualitative analysis of behavior
Upset
Atypical difficulties

17. Report writing Test-taking attitude Yea-saying (TRIN)
L scale naïve, global denial
K scale defensive, self-critical

18. Report Writing Adjustment Level
Psychological comfort, overall elevation
Scores above 65 suggest discomfort.
Welsh’s Anxiety (A)
Ego Strength (ES)

19. Characteristic Functioning
Symptoms
Major needs
Dependency, achievement
Perceptions
View of others and optimism
Reactions to stress
Coping style and effectiveness
Self-concept

20. Characteristic Functioning
Sexual orientation
Emotional control
Interpersonal relationships
Psychological resources

21. Dynamics and Etiology
Higher order inferences about underlying dynamics and cause

22. Diagnostic Impressions
MMPI-2 can be a tool in settling on a diagnosis if required for insurance etc.
Diagnosis can be in the form of a symptom description.

23. Treatment Implications.
A primary goal of assessment is to make treatment recommendations.
To treat or not
Type of treatment
Prognosis
Receptiveness to treatment
Motivation

24. Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders
Individuals with these disorders primarily present in medical rather than mental health settings.
All of these disorders involve a prominent focus on somatic concerns.

25. Somatic Symptom Disorder
Persistent somatic symptoms
Preoccupation with physical symptoms.

26. Somatization is a tendency to experience and communicate psychological distress in the form of somatic symptoms and to seek medical help for them. More commonly expressed, it is the generation of physical symptoms of a psychiatric condition such as anxiety.

27. Somatization occurs when psychological concerns are converted into physical symptoms. Though they have no underlying physical cause, somatic symptoms, such as pain or nausea, are very real and have not been invented by the person experiencing them.

30. Fibromyalgia
a fibromyalgia diagnosis can be made if a person has had widespread pain for more than three months — with no underlying medical condition that could cause the pain.

31. Chronic fatigue syndrome
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a complicated disorder characterized by extreme fatigue that can't be explained by any underlying medical condition. The fatigue may worsen with physical or mental activity, but doesn't improve with rest.

32. Irritable bowel syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common diagnoses made by gastroenterologists and primary care providers alike, and yet the underlying causes of IBS are poorly understood.
In diagnosing irritable bowel syndrome, your symptoms and their severity are only part of the picture. Other causes need to be ruled out.