Competition for the MMPI

1
Competition for the MMPI

• The 800-Pound Gorilla effect
• Criticisms of the MMPI
• Too long
• Confusing-named Scales
• Scale overlap
• Too focused on maladaptive functioning
• Forced answer format
• Not directly tied to DSM-IV

2
Personality Assessment Inventory

• 1991 Leslie Morey (Texas AM)
• 344 items, 22 scales (4 validity, 11 clinical, 5
  treatment consideration, 2 interpersonal
  functioning)
• Likert-scale items
• Non-overlapping scales
• 4th grade reading level
• Interpretive software
• Theoretical item development (high face validity)
• Good reliability

3
PAI-SP Clinical Report Full Scale Profile -
Antisocial Personality Disorder Example
4
PAI-SP Clinical Report Subscale Profile -
Antisocial Personality Disorder Example
5
PAI overview

• Reasonable alternative to MMPI, good test overall
• Does not have wealth of data that MMPI does
• Software provides suggested diagnoses
• Better tied to DSM-IV
• A little easier to fake (but has validity
  scales which help)
• Likert items confusing to some respondents

6
California Psychological Inventory

• Designed to produce culturally fair personality
  test for non-clinical populations
• 434 forced answer items
• 5th grade reading level
• Has been translated into 29 languages
• Validity scales related to faking good, bad and
  christmastreeing

7
CPI

• Class I (Interpersonal adequacy) scales
  Dominance, Capacity for Status, Sociability,
  Social Presence, Self-Acceptance, Independence,
  Empathy
• Class II (values) Responsibility, Socialization,
  Self-Control, Good Impression, Communality,
  Well-Being, Tolerance

8
CPI Continued

• Class III (Achievement) Achievement via
  conformance, Achievement via independence,
  Intellectual efficiency
• Class IV (Personal styles) Psychological
  mindedness, Flexibility, femininity/masculinity
• Generally doesnt tell you much of clinical
  utility

9
Uses

• Probably a good measure for people interested in
  their personality and self-exploration
• Not likely useful for clinical diagnosis,
  treatment outcome, etc
• Unlikely to be reimbursed by most insurance
  companies (even those that reimburse for
  psychological testing)

10
Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory

• Has typical validity scales and some clinical
  scales (thought disorder, depression, anxiety,
  etc.)
• Focus is on Axis II, however
• 175 forced answer
• 8th grade reading level

11
Scales List

• Clinical Personality Pattern Scales (DSM-IV, Axis
  II)1 - Schizoid2A - Avoidant2B - Depressive3
  - Dependent4 - Histrionic5 - Narcissistic6A -
  Antisocial6B - Sadistic (Aggressive)7 -
  Compulsive8A - Negativistic (Passive-Aggressive)
  8B - Masochistic (Self-Defeating)
• Severe Personality Pathology ScalesS -
  SchizotypalC - BorderlineP - Paranoid
• Clinical Syndrome Scales (DSM-IV, Axis I)A -
  AnxietyH - SomatoformN - Bipolar Manic D -
  DysthymiaB - Alcohol DependenceT - Drug
  DependenceR - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Severe Syndrome ScalesSS - Thought DisorderCC -
  Major DepressionPP - Delusional Disorder
• Modifying IndicesX - DisclosureY -
  DesirabilityZ - Debasement
• Validity IndexV - Validity

12
Report

• http//www.pearsonassessments.com/reports/mcmi3pro
  file.pdf
• Generally keeps to DSM-IV
• Views PDs as dimensional
• Includes some not in DSM-IV (or included for
  further study)
• Passive-Aggressive, Dependent, Sadistic,
  Self-Defeating,

13
Summary

• Shorter, reliable, generally valid measure
• Good if concerned about Axis II
• Some concerns about its validity in forensic
  populations