Exam questions Flashcards
What does the MMPI measure?
The MMPI-2 is designed with 10 clinical scales which assess 10 major categories of abnormal human behavior, and four validity scales, which assess the person’s general test-taking attitude and whether they answered the items on the test in a truthful and accurate manner.
- Dimensions of personality, symptoms and behavior
What is empirical keying? How was it used in the MMPI-II?
AKA Critirian Keying - empirical determination of items that differentiated between groups; the clinical scales were derived by selecting items that were endorsed by patients known to have been diagnosed with certain pathologies.
- Test items selected or developed according to face validity
- Focus on validity: each item had to discriminate between groups successfully
What was the original standardization sample for the MMPI? NORMALS
- 724
- visitors of Univ. of Minnesota hospital and outpatient clinics
- Ages 16-65
- 1930 census
- ~35 years old
- married
- lived in small town/rural area
- 8 years schooling
- worked for skilled or semi-skilled trade or married to a man at this level
What was the original standardization sample for the MMPI? CLINICAL GROUP
- 221 psychiatric patients from univ. of mini hospitals
- all dx represented (1940s)
- No diagnostic uncertainty nor multiple d/os
- diagnostic groups in clinical scales - hypochodriasis, depression, hysteria, psychopathic deviate, psychasthenia, schizophrenia and hypomania
How reliable is the MMPI-2?
- only caucasians in orig. development
- 1980 census, still biased
- sig diff b/w caucasians and ethnic minority groups
- acculturation (t-scores 50-60 reflect issues of acculturation and t scores >65 refelct sxs and probe consistent with Caucasians
- Test re test: clinical scales.93 (Si) to .56 (Pa)
Describe the MMPI-2’s validity
Convergent, discriminant and incremental to other measures of emotional functioning
Describe threats to validity
- threats to protocol validity
- non-content-based invalid responding
- content-based invalid responding
- under-reporting
- over-reporting
what are the advantages of MMPI-2?
TBD
Describe the disadvantages of MMPI-2.
TBD
What is the age range for the MMPI-2?
18 and older
What reading level is necessary to administer the MMPI-2?
6th grade reading level
What is a clinically significant score on the MMPI-2?
> /= 65
< 40
In what way are the mean T score and standard deviation related to MMPI-2 test interpretation?
TBD
- Mean = 50; SD = 10
CNS
Cannot Say Scale
- > 10 omissions = concern for validity
- omissions possibly due to lack of cooperation and defensiveness, lack of insight, obsessiveness or reading difficulties or confusion
- Effects profile by deflating scores and depends on scale location of the omitted items
VRIN
Variable Response Inconsistency
- designed to detect Random Responding
- 47 item pairs, 12 can be scored two ways
- T scores range from 30 to 120
- Aid in the interpretation of infrequency scales
- RANDOM
TRIN
True Response Inconsistency
- designed to detect fixed responding
- 20 item pairs; 3 symmetrical (both ways)
- raw score converted to t score which will ALWAYS be =/> 50
- Detection of response sets
- Interpretation of L,K,S
- FIXED
F
Infrequency
- used to identify over-reporting
- 60 items among first 370 items
- Elevated bc: intentional (use Fp) or unintentional over-reporting, random responding (use VRIN), fixed responding (use TRIN) or sever psychopathology or severe distress
- ^F = negative info about self is being endorsed
Fb
Back (side) Infrequency
- designed to detect changes in responding between first (1-370) and second half of the test
- 40 infrequently endorsed items in second half of booklet
- Elevation= Intentional or unintentional over-reporting, random responding, fixed responding, severe psychopathology or sever distress, or fatigue
Fp
Infrequency Psychopathology
- designed to detect intentional and unintentional over-reporting in individuals with psychopatology
- 27 items endorsed infrequently by a variety of clinical samples
- elevation = intentional over-reporting, random responding, fixed responding
L
Lie
- designed to detect intentional under-reporting
- 15 obvious items
- All keyed FALSE
- Elevation = intentional under-reporting, lack of insight, very traditional values and beliefs, or indiscriminant false responding
K
Correction
- designed to detect unintentional under-reporting
- 30 subtle items
- defensive person less likely to recognize purpose and to avoid detection
- all but one keyed FALSE
- Elevation = defensiveness, denying symptoms, problems, and negative characteristics more than the avg person or psychological we’ll-being, ego strength, psychological resources
- minimal effects on education
- for clinical populations, use K-corrected scores
- for normals use non-corrected
S
Superlative Self-Presentation
- developed to identify under-reporting (Butcher and Han)
- common in personnel screening, child custody
- tendency to present highly virtuous, responsible and free of psychological problems
- subscales to help identify specific areas of defensiveness
Non-defensive with significant psychopathology
TBD
Random Responding
- F, Fb, Fp > 100
- K & S near 50
- L = 60-70
Faking Bad Profile
Endorse everything
- F and Fb Tscores > 100
- L & K = low
Cry for Help Profile
AKA Inverted V
- L & K lower than F
- check for secondary gain and be alert for malingering
- can be indicative of true distress
- may do for possible gain
Faking Good Profile
Guardedness and defensiveness=
- L & K T scores > 65 higher than F &
- F T score = 40-50
- V shaped or Check Mark shaped
What is K correction?
- designed to detect unintentional under-reporting
- Corrects for defensiveness
When is K correction used and on what clinical scales?
- use for clinical populations
- 1 (Hs)
- 4 (Pd)
- 7 (Pt)
- 8 (Sc)
- 9 (Ma)
What do clinical scales measure?
- descriptive information related to personality and symptoms
- hypothesize about personality, dx, and prognosis
1
Hs - Hypochodriasis
- 32 items
- preoccupation with the body and fear of illness and disease
- Average T = 60
2
D - DEPRESSION
- 57 items
- poor morale, lack of hope in future and general dissatisfaction with life
- denial of happiness, psychomotor retardation, withdrawal, and lack of interest
- denial of hostile impulses
- difficulty with concentration and memory
- general dissatisfaction and discomfort with life circumstances
3
HYSTERIA (Hy)
- 60 items
- developed to identify individuals who were having hysterical reactions to stress
- 2 clusters of items: denial of physical health and report of variety of physical complaints OR denial of psychological or emotional problems
- avg T = 60 in medical patients
4
PSYCHOPATHIC DEVIATE (Pd)
- 50 items
- developed to identify psychopathic personality type (amoral, asocial, delinquent acts)
- absence of satisfaction with life
- assesses both social maladjustment and social confidence and poise
5
MASCULINITY/FEMININITY (Mf)
- 56 items
- T score reversed for men and women
- Initially developed to identify homosexuals
- measures interests and is not related to symptoms or problems in inpatient, outpatient or normal groups
6
PARANOIA (Pa)
- 40 items
- developed to identify patients with paranoid symptoms
7
PSYCHASTHENIA (Pt)
- 48 items
- excessive doubt, compulsions, obsessions, unreasonable fears
- uncontrollable or obsessive thoughts, feelings or fear and/or anxiety, self-doubt, general distress and unhappiness
8
SCHIZOPHRENIA (Sc)
- 78 items
- disturbance of thinking, mood, and bx
9
HYPOMANIA (Ma)
- 46 items
- elevated mood, accelerated speech and motor activity, irritability, flight of ideas, and brief periods of dyshporia
- High activity level, excitability, irritability, grandiosity, family relationships, moral values and attitudes
0
SOCIAL INTROVERSION (Si)
- 69 items
- developed to assess the tendancy to withdraw from social situations and responsibilities
- two types of items: social participation & general maladjustment and self-depreciation
Which clinical scales do not measure psychopathology?
5 - Mf & 0 - Si
What are the Harris Lingoes subscales and what are they useful for?
- provide info regarding the type of items endorsed on the corresponding clinical scales
What clinical scales have Harris Lingoes subscales?
2 - Depression (D) 3 - Hysteria (Hy) 4 - Psychopathic Deviate (Pd) 6 - Paranoia (Pa) 8 - Schizophrenia (Sc) 9 - Hypomania (Ma) 0 - Social Introversion (Si)
When is it valid to interpret the Harris Lingoes sub scales?
Only interpret when parent scale is significantly elevated
How do you define a code type?
when two scales demonstrate significantly high T scores, with one being higher than the other
- yields richer diagnostic and clinical information
- scales must all be elevated and fall within 5 T scores of each other
- lowest scale of code type is 5 t scores above the next highest scale
13/31
- associated with chronic medical prob, chronic pain and Axis III dx
- resist psychological explanations for their difficulties, preferring medical answers
- present self as psych. normal, responsible and without fault
27/72
- outpatient: depression, anxiety, self-degradation, sad, depressed, Dysthymia, hopeless, lack nrg and sleep, fatigued
- Inpatient: depression, loss of interest, compulsions, withdrawn, ECT tx hx, insight into condition
29/92
- Agitated and depressed,
- narcissistic and explosive,
- bipolar disorder and NPD, also brain damage
48/84
- hx sex abuse
- somatic complaints, anxiety, depression
- acute psych turmoil
- suspicious, paranoid delusional thinking, excessive daydream
- don’t fit into env., odd/peculiar, angry, erratic, conflict with societal standards (sexual bx)
68/86
- thought d/o
- most frequently found well-defined code type among men inpatient
- outpatient = depression
- stress=fantasy
- paranoid ideation
- auditory halluciantion
- suicide attempts
- schizophrenia dx
- schizoid lifestyle
46/64
- one of most frequently code types
- non-conforming and feel got raw end of deal
- poor fan relationships and projection of blame onto family members
- may have psychotic sxs
- argumentative, sullen, angry
- inpatients - drug abuse, weed, coke, contact with criminal justice sys, no chronic medical or phys probe, homeless, AXIS II Cluster B dx
49/94
- probs with authority, impulsivity, superficial relationships
- eccentric, cynical, narcissistic
- free of anxiety and depression
- ETOH and substance abuse/dep
- antisocial
- low frustration tolerance
- extroverted, talkative, thrill seeking
- poor judgment
- Frequent Axis II Dx - Antisocial
123
- anxiety, depression, somatic sxs
- sad, life is strain
- phys sxs with stress
- low energy level
- lack sex drive
- good marital and work adjustment
468
Axis I = depression, Axis II = Antisocial
- hx psychiatric hosp., suicide attempts, and physically abusive
- tangential, defensive, demand attention
- sad, depressed and suicidal ideation
- antisocial, anxious, agitated
- paranoid ideation
Neurotic triad aka Conversion V
123
- “Neurotic triad” - elevated in most neuroses, exaggerated need for affection
- “Conversion V” - use somatic disorder as a projection channel for problems
Psychotic Triad
278
- Depression, dysthymia, hospitatlizations, sexually abused
- anxiety, phobias, sensitive
- insecure adn self-deprecating
- emotional turmoil, schizoid life styles
- nervous, fearful, suicidal ruminations
- inadequate/inferior
- blunted or inappropriate affect
- lack social skills and are shy, withdrawn, introverted, isolated
BPD
2468
