The MMPI-2
The Essentials
To K-correct, or not to K-correct?
Research doesn’t support the use of the K-correction
on the MMPI-2
Little correlation differences between K and non-K
corrected and other clinical variables
Several have found the K-corrected to be worse at prediction of
other clinical variables
Recommendation: Don’t use them
Cannot Say (?)
The total number of omitted items (or items answered
both T and F)
Can be due to indecisiveness, to avoid admitting faults, or
carelessness/confusion
“Official” rule is 30+ omitted items = invalid
Graham recommends 10 omits = use caution
If many items are omitted, examine which scales they
come from (automatic on computer scoring)
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Variable Response Inconsistency (VRIN)
VRIN was developed for MMPI-2 and indicates tendency to
respond inconsistently
Does so by using 67 pairs of items that ask similar questions,
then comparing the answers to those questions
Use to help understand high F scale scores
High F and high VRIN support random responding
High F and normal VRIN suggest either severely disturbed or “faking
bad”
True Response Inconsistency (TRIN)
Used to identify all true or all false responding patterns
Higher scores indicate indiscriminate true responses, lower
indicate indiscriminate false responding
Raw scores of 13+ (80+ T-scores in the direction of true) indicate
all true responding
Raw scores of 5 or less (80+ T-scores in the direction of false)
indicate all false responding
Infrequency (F)
Developed to detect deviant / atypical ways
of responding to test items
Used in conjunction with VRIN, TRIN, and Fp
to determine whether someone is truly
disturbed, just “faking bad”, or answering
indiscriminately
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Infrequency (F)
T > 100 (Inpatients); T > 90 (Outpatients); T >
80 (Non-clinical)
Scores this high can show severe psychopathology in
inpatients
Fp scores can help detect malingering when high F
scores are present
VRIN T-scores >80 to detect random responses
TRIN T-scores >80 to detect all T or F responses
Back Infrquency (Fb)
If the F scale is valid, an elevated Fb could indicate
invalid responding on the second half of the test items
Can still interpret L, F, and K, but not clinical or content scales
T-scores above 110 (clinical) and 90 (non-clinical)
should invalidate back half of the test
Same interaction between Fb and other validity scales
as with F scale
Infrequency Psychopathology (Fp)
27 items answered infrequently by both normals and
inpatients
Less indicative of extreme psychopathology than the F
scale
Fp > 100 and VRIN > 80 indicate likely “faking bad”; Fp
raw score >7 is optimal for classification
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Lie (L)
Constructed to detect deliberate, unsophisticated
attempts at “faking good” ; 15 items dealing with
minor flaws or weaknesses that most people would
admit to
T > 80 indicates a lack of honesty and should likely
not be scored
When instructed to fake good, this level is seen
High levels here indicative of artificially lowered clinical and
content scores
Random Response Profile
A completely random response pattern shows
F, Fb, and Fp scales very elevated (100+)
K & S scales near 50
L scale moderately elevated (60-70)
Clinical scales generally elevated, with highs on 8 and
6
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All-True Responding
Answering all True will result in a TRIN score of
118 (men) and 120 (women)
Extremely elevated F scales
L, K, and S below 50
Extreme elevations on right side
Scores >80 (in true direction) should be
considered invalid
All-False Responding
Answering all False will result in a TRIN score of
114 (men) and 118 (women)
Extremely elevated L, F, K, S, and Fp scales
Fb and VRIN near 50
Extreme elevations on left side
Scores >80 (in false direction) should be
considered invalid
5
Negative Self-Presentation
Faking bad
Very elevated F, Fp, Fb scales (100+)
TRIN and VRIN not elevated
Clinical scales very elevated, particularly 6, 8
5, 0 are least elevated
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Negative Self-Presentation
F scale has been found to be very effective at
determining if someone is trying to
Fake a specific disorder
Has been coached
Is exaggerating symptoms
Usually (regardless of d/o), show elevations on
F and Fp, as well as clinical scales 6 and 8
Positive Self-Presentation
Faking good
L, K, and S likely to be elevated, with F, Fb, and Fp
average/below average
Somewhat lower than normal scores on clinical scales
Not as accurate as for overreporting, but still
pretty good
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Positive Self-Presentation
Defensiveness
Shows similar pattern to faking good, but less
elevated L, K, and S scales
Coaching to fake good
If suspected, use less-familiar scales (Wiggins Social
Desirability, etc) to detect
Interpretation of Scores
In general, scores greater than 65 (1.5 SD above the
mean) will be considered “high”
Scales 5 (Mf) and 0 (Si) should be interpreted in a
bipolar manner
The more extreme the score, the more the clinical
description will likely fit the person
Descriptors should be considered a starting point, not
an end point
Scale 1 (Hypochondriasis)
Developed to identify patients with excessive somatic
complaints
very homogeneous and unidimensional scale
People with actual physical problems and the elderly
tend to score slightly higher than normal sample
(around 60)
High scores are T > 80; moderate elevations are
between 60-79; normal levels are 40-59
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Scale 2 (Depression)
Designed to assess symptomatic depression; great index of general
life dissatisfaction
Extreme scores may indicate clinical depression, but moderate
scores indicative of a general negative attitude
The elderly, people in hospitals due to illness, and prisoners show
5-10 point elevations
High scores are > 70; moderate are 60-69; normal are 40-59
Scale 3 (Hysteria)
Developed to ID people with hysterical (physical)
reactions to stressful situations
Extreme scores (80+) suggest pathological condition,
but chronic pain patients often score in 70-80 range
High scores are T > 80; moderate elevations are
between 60-79; normal levels are 40-59
Scale 4 (Psychopathic Deviant)
Developed to ID psychopathic, asocial, or amoral
personalities
Younger people score higher than older; whites and
Asians scored 5-10 points lower than Hispanics, blacks,
and Native Americans
High scores are T > 75; moderate elevations are
between 60-74; normal levels are 40-59
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Scale 5 (Masculinity-Feminity)
Developed to ID level of typical thoughts about gender
roles
High scores reject typical stereotyped gender roles;
low scores accept typical gender roles
High scores are T > 85; moderate elevations are
between 60-74; normal levels are 40-59; low scores
are < 39
Scale 6 (Paranoia)
Developed to ID people with paranoid thoughts and
behaviors
Very few false positives on this measure; most people
who score high do show paranoia
High scores are T > 70; moderate elevations are
between 60-69; normal levels are 45-59
Scale 7 (Psychoasthenia)
Measures obsessive and compulsive types of
behaviors, psychological discomfort and turmoil
High scorers often tend to be neat, organized, orderly,
and rigid and moralistic
High scores are T > 75; moderate elevations are
between 60-74; normal levels are 40-59
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Scale 8 (Schizophrenia)
Developed to ID people with schizophrenia
College students, African-Americans, Native
Americans, and Hispanics score about 5 points higher
than normal
High scores are T > 75; moderate elevations are
between 60-74; normal levels are 40-59
Scale 9 (Hypomania)
Developed to ID those with hypomanic symptoms
Ethnic minorities show slight elevations, as do younger
people
High scores suggest other scale elevations will be
acted out and expressed overtly
High scores are T > 80; moderately high are between
70-79; moderate are 60-69; normal levels are 40-59
Scale 0 (Social Introversion)
Assess a person’s tendency to withdraw from social
contacts and responsibilities
High scores are insecure and lack self-confidence; low
scores tend to be sociable and extroverted
High scores are T > 75; moderate elevations are
between 60-74; normal levels are 40-59
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Code Types
Focus on clinical scales that are above T-score of 65,
while all other clinical scales are below 65
Can have one (high point), two, or three point code
types
Exclude scales 5 and 0 when determining code types
Same descriptors apply to high-scorers as high-point
code types
Code Types
Two-point tell which two are the highest ones in the
profile; three-point are the three highest scores
Scores seen as interchangeable (2-7 vs. 7-2)
Well-defined types have a difference of at least five
points between lowest code type scale and next
highest clinical scale
Interpret code types when the scales are above a 60 T-
score
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