Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory

By : Lukman Nul Hakim

I. PROBLEM
In order to understand the the personality of the subject by using The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)

II. INTRODUCTION
The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) holds a place among personality questionnaires comparable to that of the strong among interest measures. It was constructed in a similar empirical manner and was subjected to exceptionally thorough research by its authors. There are 689 titles included in a bibliography covering MMPI research through 1954, at that time, the number of MMPI studies was 100 per year and the rate was still increasing (Welsh and Dahlstrom, 1956, in Cronbach 1960).
The MMPI was originally constructed by a psychologist, Starke Hathaway, and psychiatrist, J.C. McKinley, to aid in diagnosis of clinical patients. Borrowing from older inventories and rephrasing diagnostic cues used by psychiatrists prepared a collection of 550 items. Among the items to be answered “T”, “F” , or “?”(cannot say).
The content of these items is quite diverse. Some report observable behavior some report feelings that could not be observed from the outside, and some express general social attitudes. Some items frankly report symptoms of abnormal behavior, whereas others appear to have no favorable or unfavorable connotation.
MMPI is designed to provide an objective assessment of some of the major personality characteristics that affect personal and social adjustment. The point of view determining the importance of a trait in this case is that of the clinical or personnel worker who wishes to assay those traits that are commonly characteristic of disabling psychological abnormality. The carefully constructed and cross-validated scales provide a means for measuring the personality status of literate adolescents and adults together with a basis for evaluating the acceptability and dependent ability of each test record. Nine scales were originally developed for clinical use of the inventory and were named for the abnormal conditions on which their construction was based. The scales were not expected to measure pure traits nor to represent discrete etiological or prognostic entities. Since they have been shown to have meaning within the normal range of behavior, these scales are now commonly referred to by their abbreviations. Hs (hypocondriasis), D (depression), Hy (hysteria), Pd (psychopathic deviate), Mf (masculinity-femininity), Pa (Paranoia), Pt (psychasthenia), Sc (schizophrenia), and Ma (hypomania), or by their code numbers to avoid possibly misleading connotations. Many other scales have subsequently been developed from the same items; Si (social introversion) is one that is commonly scored. There are also three validating scales: L (lie), F (validity), and K (correction).
The MMPI is based on the concept that the items form numerous potential scales; those originally selected were merely the scales most easily derived as it has been developed, the procedure permits the introduction of each new scale as it is derived without additional equipment other than a new scoring key and standards. Furthermore, since all the older record blanks can be scored with a new key, the clinician can immediately compare the scores on new scales with his clinical experience simply by a sampling of old records.
The original normative data were derived from a sample of about seven hundred ‘normal’ individuals who visited the university hospitals, and may be considered representative of a cross section of the Minnesota population. The sampling was fairly adequate for ages 16 to 55 and for both sexes. In addition, data were available on 250 Pre College and college students, a group that represented a reasonably good cross section of college entrance applicants.
The scales were developed by contrasting the normal groups with carefully studied clinical cases. Over eight hundred such cases were available from the neuropsychiatry division of the university hospital when the inventory was published.
Statistical regarding reliability and validity are of serious concern. For any psychological test, the reliability coefficient will vary with the population tested. When personality inventories are considered, reliability estimates largely depend up on whether the group tested includes normals or hospitalized patients or both. Presumably the personality patterns of normals are more stable than those of psychiatric patients. The problem is further aggravated when the inventories must measure personality traits which in themselves are known to be somewhat unstable.
As for validity, a high score on a scale has been found to predict positively the corresponding final clinical diagnosis or estimate in more than sixty percent of new psychiatric admissions. This percentage is derived from differentiation among various kinds of clinic cases, which is considerably more difficult than mere differentiation of abnormal from normal groups. Even in cases in which a high score is not followed by a corresponding diagnosis, the presence of the trait to an abnormal degree in the symptomatic picture will nearly always be noted. (McKinley & Hathaway, 1943).
Who can take MMPI ?
Subjects sixteen years old of age or older with at least six years of successful schooling can be expected to complete the MMPI without difficulty.

The Testing Situation
Although in administration the MMPI is less demanding of professional skill than many other personality instruments, it should never be forgotten that the use of any personality measure is a professional action. The administration of the MMPI does not require the presence of one who is specially trained in psychology. Although a psychometrist is of course the best, but the examiner may be any willing and interested person who is able to obtained the required information and present the direction for inventory.
MMPI should be presented to the subject as a serious and important undertaking. Assurance should be given that his responses will be used for his own benefit. This attitude, if effectively communicated, will help immeasurably in enlisting the full cooperation of most subjets. A few may require additional assurance or further clarification of the intended use of the result. If possible, frank reply should be made evasion and shifting of responsibility should be avoided.

The Test Instruction
The cover of the group form booklet contains the instructions for use of the IBM 805 answer sheet. The subject should be asked to follow along silently while the examiner reads the instructions aloud.
Proctors should watch carefully as the subjects mark the first few responses on the answer sheets, scoring difficulties which arise from poorly marked answer sheets can be prevented by exercising care at this time.
The subject should be encouraged to anwer every item. The instructions on the booklet forms include the statements, “do not leave any blank spaces if you can avoid it…..remember, try to make some answer to every statement”. Several variations of this instruction have been used on other forms as a way of discouraging cannot say answers : do not make many ‘cannot say’ responses,” “do not leave any blank spaces if you can make any judgement regarding yyour answers,”. “Do not leave any blank spaces unless you really can’t decide how to mark the statements.” All of these are ways in which the subjects may be exhorted to deal with every item in the inventory.l


Scoring

Here is step by step procedure for scoring:
Turn the answer sheet so that the black timing marks on the edge of the anwer sheet are at the top. Place each key on the answer sheet so that the row of black marks on the edge of the key coincides with the row of black timing marks on answer sheet. The blue area of the answer sheet should not appear just below the bottom edge of the key.

Count the number of marks showing through the squares on the key and record the number in the blue area directly below the arrow printed on the bottom edge of the key.
To transfer the scores to the profile side of the answer sheet, fold the answer sheet along the edge of the blue area. The scores appear in the same order (? To Si) as the columns of the profile. Be sure to use the profile (male or female) that matches the sex of the subject.

III. METHOD
Preliminaries of the Subject :
Name : YR
Age : 23 years old
Class : MA (Prev) English Department
Sex : Female
Condition : Normal
Place : Laboratorium of Psychology Department
Jamia Millia Islamia University

Materials Used :
The following material was used in this test :
a. One MMPI booklet
b. One blank answer sheet
c. Pencil

Precautions
In order to get an optimum result, the following precautions were carefully taken when conducting this test :
The test was conducted in a peaceful and comfortable place.
The testee was not unnecessarily be disturbed.
Tester tries to minimize tester bias by not giving any unnecessary comments while testee doing the test.

Procedure and Administration
Here is the step-by-step procedure in conducting the test:
a. Rapport formation, a brief conversation was held with testee to make her feel comfortable with the test situation.
b. Give the instruction.
c. Give the MMPI booklet to the testee
d. Ask testee to fill personal data.
e. Tell testee that tester might will contact her again if there is anything, which is unclear.
f. Thanking the subject.

Instructions
“I am going to a booklet contained with , and your task will be to make up as dramatic a story as you can for each. Tell what has led up to the event shown in the picture, describe what is happening at the moment, what the characters are feeling and thinking; and then give the outcome. Speak your thought as they come to your mind. Do you understand? Since you have fifty minutes for ten pictures, you can devote about five minutes to each story. Here is the first picture.”

Introspective Report
“It’s a very boring and tiring test, there are too many questions, but however it’s okay, and I am sorry if I couldn’t do it properly because I am not in a very well condition, I am having this headache”, why? “well…I don’t know, may be because I am feeling very very homesick lately, and I really want to go back home for vacation on the upcoming summer holiday. Another problem I am facing now is I am a little bit worry about the examination that will be held on the next one month, since this is going to be my first examination in India”.
IV. RESULT

Data
Yunita Ramadhana is twenty-three years old, an Indonesian student studying in Jamia Millia Islamia University majoring in English Department. She is single. Subject has two siblings, both male. She is the only daughter in the family.
Her father is a retire government worker, and her mother is still working as government employee.

Scoring
SCALE
RAW SCORE
K TO BE ADDED
TOTAL SCORE
L
6

6
F
16

16
K
4

4
Hs (1)
12
6
18
D (2)
20

20
Hy (3)
18

18
Pd (4)
17
7
24
Mf (5)
33

33
Pa (6)
18

18
Pt (7)
22
22
44
Sc (8)
40

40
Ma (9)
29
6
35
Si (10)
32

32


Analysis
L SCORE = 6 (Lie score)
Subject may be attempting to create an extremely pathological picture of themselves. Normal persons who are relatively independent.

F SCORE = 16 (Infrequency scale)
Subject may have systematically avoided acknowledging the socially unacceptable or disturbing content represented in the scale. They may be trying to deny serious psychopatology (faking good). They may be normal person who are very conventional, unassuming, and unpretentious.

K SCORE = 4 (Subtle defensiveness)
The subject have probably either their fabricated or generally exaggerated of a severe emotional disturbance (faking bad). They may be experiencing acute psychotic distress, which may require psychological intervention is very guarded.

Hs SCORE = 18 (Scale 1, Hypochondriasis)
MODERATE. The subject is described as having concern about their bodily functioning and are likely to be seen as immature, stubborn and lacking drive.

D SCORE = 20 (Scale 2, Depression)
NORMAL. The subject has a typical number of attitudes and behaviors that reflect symptomatic depression.

Hy SCORE = 18 (Scale 3, Hysteria)
NORMAL. Subject has a typical number of attitudes and behaviors that relate to hysteric dynamics.

Pd SCORE = 24 (Scale 4, Psychopathic deviation)
MODERATE. Subject may be genuinely, concerned about social problems and issue they may be responding to situational conflicts, or they may have adjusted to a habitual level of interpersonal and social conflict. If the conflict is situational, the score should return to normal range as the conflict is resolved.

Mf SCORE = 33 (Scale 5, Masculinity, feminity)
NORMAL. Subject is less traditionally oriented towards a feminine role and have interests in masculine activities as well.

Pa SCORE = 18 (Scale 6, Paranoia)
MARKED. Subject is likely to be suspicious, hostile, and overly verbalise these qualities. A thorough disorder may be readily apparent.

Pt SCORE = 44 (Scale 7, psychastenia)
MARKED. Subject is worried, tense, and indecisive. Agitation may develop and overt anxiety is usually apparent both to themselves and to others.

Sc SCORE = 40 (Scale 8, Schizophrenia)
MARKED. Subject feels alienated and remote from their environment. Which may reflect actual schizophrenic process of situational or personal distress. Difficulties in logic, concentration and poor judgment become higher in this range.

Ma SCORE = 35 (Scale 9, Hypomania)
MARKED. Subject is overactive, emotionally labile and may experience flight of ideas. Although the clients mood id typically euphoric, outburst of temper may occur. Subject is impulsive and may have an inability to delay gratification.
Si SCORE = 32 (Scale 10, Social introversion)
NORMAL. Subject report a balance between so socially extraverted and introverted attitudes and behavior.
V. INTERPRETATIONS

SYMPTOMATIC BEHAVIOR
Subject is a normal persons who are relatively independent. There is a possibility that she try to show that she is not having any serious psychopathology (faking good). Subject may be a normal person who is very conventional, unassuming, and unpretentious.
The subject has a typical number of attitudes and behaviors that reflect symptomatic depression. Subject has also a typical number of attitudes and behaviors that relate to hysteric dynamics. It might be due to the problem she was facing, as mentioned in introspective report, subject was missing her family very much, she was having home sick. The other problem is, she will have to do examination on the next two month, and since it was going to be her first examination she became a little nervous and worry.

INTERPERSONAL RELATION
Subject may have systematically avoided acknowledging the socially unacceptable or disturbing content represented in the scale.
The subject is described as having concern about their bodily functioning and are likely to be seen as immature, stubborn and lacking drive.
Subject may be genuinely, concerned about social problems and issue they may be responding to situational conflicts, or they may have adjusted to a habitual level of interpersonal and social conflict. If the conflict is situational, the score should return to normal range as the conflict is resolved.
Subject is less traditionally oriented towards a feminine role and have interests in masculine activities as well.
Subject is likely to be suspicious, hostile, and overly verbalise these qualities. A thorough disorder may be readily apparent.
Subject feels alienated and remote from their environment. Which may reflect actual schizophrenic process of situational or personal distress. Difficulties in logic, concentration and poor judgment become higher in this range.
Subject is overactive, emotionally labile and may experience flight of ideas. Although the clients mood id typically euphoric, outburst of temper may occur. Subject is impulsive and may have an inability to delay gratification.

BEHAVIORAL STABILITY
The subject is likely to be seen as immature, stubborn and lacking drive.
The subject has a typical number of attitudes and behaviors that reflect symptomatic depression. Subject has a typical number of attitudes and behaviors that relate to hysteric dynamics.
Subject is worried, tense, and indecisive. Agitation may develop and overt anxiety is usually apparent both to themselves and to others.
Subject is overactive, emotionally labile and may experience flight of ideas. Although the clients mood id typically euphoric, outburst of temper may occur. Subject is impulsive and may have an inability to delay gratification.
Subject report a balance between so socially extraverted and introverted attitudes and behavior.

IN WORDS
Subject might be : evasive, defensive, guarded, shy, secretive, withdrawn, tense, worried and apprehensive, difficulties is concentration, worries about popularity and acceptance, sensitive, physical complaints, intellectualizes and rationalizes, resistant to interpretations in therapy, expresses hostility toward therapist.