adminstrtion and validity scales Flashcards
describe test admin
individual or group 18 and up 6th grade reading level mmpi-a 14-18 (18 y/o can go either way, may overpathologize) have audio recorded form dont read to client dont let them take it home can break up the time first 370 can be admin as short form encourage to be honest
mmpi-2 profile forms
validity scales clinical scales personality psychopathology five restructured clinical scales supplementary scales
how many validity scales?
9
what are the two types of response patterns assessed?
Content Non-Responsive (CNR)
Content Responsive (CR) Responses based on content and manipulate impression
CNR scales, how may, what are their names and what to they do?
Omission or Random Responding Systematic Responding Unrelated to Question 3 Scales ? Cannot Say Variable Response Inconsistency (VRIN) True Response Inconsistency (TRIN)
CR scales, how many, what are their names, and what do they measure?
Assesses Underreporting and Overreporting May or may not represent intentionality 6 Scales -Overreporting Infrequency Scale (F) Back Infrequency Scale (FB) Infrequency Psychopathology (FP) -Underreporting Lie Scale (L) Correction Scale (K) Superlative Self-Presentation (S
what score on the ? scale makes a profile suspect? what score makes it definitely invalid?
10; 30
suggestions to ensure completion?
ecourage px to compelte all items
check profile before px leaves
if px leaves, score it anyway to see if its useful
what is the VRIN?
VRIN – (Variable Response Inconsistency Scale) – Examines 67 item pairs that should be answered in a consistent manner (can be similar or opposite content).
What is a high VRIN and what does it mean?
High VRIN = inconsistent/random responding and over 80T is likely an invalid profile. VRIN in the 70-79 range also raises questions of validity, especially with an elevated F.
What is the TRIN?
TRIN – (True Response Inconsistency Scale) – Pairs of items opposite in content. Thus answering true or false to both would give you a point on this scale.
Similar interpretation to VRIN.
Helps to identify “all true” or “all false” protocols.
What does high/low TRIN mean?
High TRIN = true response set (“aquiescent”)
Low TRIN = false response set (“nonacquiescent”)
What do you do if both VRIN and TRIN are over 80?
profile is invalid; do not interpret
What is the F scale and what does it tell you
infrequency scale its about accuracy of response set is htere overreportiong? set of item endored in + direction by less than 10% of orgiginal sample overreporting or random responding
F over 100
could indicate severe psychopathology
invalid profile
overreporting
random responding
High F scores for I O and N
I >100
O >90
N > 80
false responding, psychopathology, random responding, invalid profile
Moderate elvations for I O and N
(I 80-99T; O 70-89T; N 65-79)
raise the possibility of symptom exaggeration, resistance to testing, psychopathology, or the classic “cry for help”
Mildly elevated scores
I 55-79T; O65-79T; N 40-64T
“deviant social, political, or religious convictions”.
accurate reporting of psychopathology or distress.
essentially normal, unless in the context of “faking good” – Other indicators of “faking good” should be present
Fb sclae
infrequency back scale
FB = Assesses validity for later items
40 item scale
< 10% of MMPI-2 Norm sample endorsed
Does elevated Fb mean the whole profile is invalid?
No
Look at F
Elevated F w/ Elevated FB
Indicator of Invalid Profile
F scale normative w/ elevated FB
Original Validity and Basic Clinical Scales interpretable – Later Validity, Supplementary and Content Scales should not be interpreted
whats a high fb for patients? for nonpatients?
> 110; >90
high fb and high TRIN in true direction?
indicates response bias
high fb and high fp
faking bad
what is the f is 30 t pts lower than the fb
don’t interpet second half of the test or the scale associated with those items
if you can use the second half of the test what scale can’t you use?
suplementary
content
etc. just two explame
Fp scale
FP = Infrequency Psychopathology Scale
27 items
Answered infrequently by MMPI-2 psychiatric patients and normal controls
Endorsement less likely to reflect actual severe psychopathology
whats a high Fp?
> 94 for guys; and >97 for women
if high fp?
faking bad
high fp with high VRIN
random responding is more likely than faking bad
FBS
Fake Bad Scale (FBS)
Designed to detect noncredible reporting of emotional distress in personal injury claimants
Largely ineffective for this purpose
May be more effective at discriminating feigned cognitive deficits; however, it has been criticized as incorrectly classifying patients with genuine medical problems
Know appropriate cutoffs for your subgroup
Use with extreme caution
other potential markers of invalidity?
T% or true percent
if over 70 or under 15, very rare profiles may mark invalidity
F-K index, raw f minus raw ki; don’t use it
L scale
Lie scale
defensiveness
detect deliberate and unsophisticated attempts to present oneself in a favorable light.
Items deal with denying minor flaws and weaknesses
average normal person = 3response
what other scales does F correlate with?
the clinical scales in general (demoralization); but mostl highyl weith 6 (paranoia) and 8 (sz)
Who tends to score higher on F?
ethinic monitiries, 3-5 pts higher than whites
who tends to score lower on the L scale? higher?
educated, brighter, higher SES individuals
people with strong christian beliefs
whats a high L?
over 80; extreme denial or defensiveness, invalid
but may still be able to terp the profile
what does high L mean?
person not honest or frank in responding to questions, claiming virtues and denying negative characteristics more than most; could be pervasive nonacquiescence, check TRIN
L of 65-79 (clinical) or 70-79(nonclinical)
suggest the possibility of less than honest responding and likely reduction in subsequent scale elevations meaning that caution must be used in interpretation.
L scores of 65-69 (nonclinical)
suggest an overly positive self-presentation. Protocol can be interpreted with this in mind.
L 60-64T (any setting)
may suggest some unsophisticated defensiveness but a valid profile.
Scores in this range are found in nonclinical evaluative settings (e.g., custody evaluations), per Graham although other literature suggest that they can run higher.
Overly low L scorers
may reflect another deviant test taking style whereby they are being overly critical or inflating deficits.
An all true response set will also lower L, look at the TRIN
What is the most important thing to keep in mind about all of these cut off scores?
they are not hard and fast rules
think about what the scale measures, consider the context, px motivation, other parts of hx, interview data, etc.
K scale
Correction scale
detects more sophisticated attempts and faking good, or presenting yourself and better or more well than you are, or that youre being unusually frank and self critical
high k mean? low?
defensiveness; (below 40) unsually frank and/or self crticial; low ses or low edu; poor insight; dissastisfaction
whats a high K?
65-70
high K with high TRIN in false direction
random responding or all false responding, not as indicative of defensivenss or denial
high K with otherwise valid profile
defensivness, attempt to look good
poor insight, poorer prognosis for psychotherapy
Moderate elevations in K
56-64 ; can suggest the presence of well-developed psychological resources and ego strength
suggests adequate adjustment and mix of defensiveness and openness.
whats a K correction?
stat procedure to correct for defensive repsonding
adjusts scores on 5 of the clinical scales 1,4, 7 8 and 9
Usefulness is questioned; lack of sufficient research support
can score it with and without the k coreection but cant provide two terp, have to go with one
s scale
superlative scale
K & L are only moderately effective at identifying nonclinical people who are trying to fake good.
-S consists of items that present the person as free of psychological distress, getting along easily with others, denial of moral flaws, and having a strong belief of human goodness.
-Has shown some promise in non-patient populations; L and K equally good in clinical settings
-Should be considered experimental.
the most important thing to keep in mind when interpeting the CR validity scales
Hard to make absolute statements about the extra-test correlates of invalid profiles.
not always people faking good or faking bad; be considerte when making interpreations
is this an evaluative situation? defensiveness might be the norm
Random responding produces
High VRIN, F, L, Fb, Fp, and average K
Faking Bad =
high F and high Fp
faking good
More problematic is Faking Good or being defensive. Instrument is better at finding fake bad than fake good.
In general, have a higher L & K, with a low F.
whats the thing to ask yourself when interpreting the CNR and CR validity scales?
“how is this patient presenting themselves?”
