MMPI Trivia 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Who were the original developers of the MMPI?
- Starke Hathaway and J.C. McKinley (Correct answer)
- Aaron Beck and Albert Ellis
- Hans Eysenck and Raymond Cattell
- Paul Costa and Robert McCrae
Correct answer: Starke Hathaway and J.C. McKinley
The MMPI was developed by psychologist Starke Hathaway and psychiatrist J.C. McKinley at the University of Minnesota.
Question 2: In what decade was the original MMPI first published?
- 1920s
- 1930s
- 1940s (Correct answer)
- 1950s
Correct answer: 1940s
The original MMPI was published in 1943, making it a product of the 1940s.
Question 3: What is the primary purpose of the MMPI's validity scales?
- To measure intelligence
- To detect response distortion and test-taking attitudes (Correct answer)
- To assess emotional intelligence
- To identify cultural background
Correct answer: To detect response distortion and test-taking attitudes
Validity scales detect response styles such as faking good, faking bad, random responding, and other forms of distortion.
Question 4: How many items does the MMPI-2 contain?
- 399
- 478
- 567 (Correct answer)
- 624
Correct answer: 567
The MMPI-2, published in 1989, contains 567 true/false items.
Question 5: The 'K' scale on the MMPI-2 measures what construct?
- Knowledge of mental health terms
- Defensiveness and subtle denial (Correct answer)
- Kinesthetic awareness
- Keen social perception
Correct answer: Defensiveness and subtle denial
The K scale measures defensiveness; high scores suggest the respondent is minimizing psychological problems.
Question 6: What does a T-score of 65 or higher typically indicate on MMPI-2 clinical scales?
- A below-average score
- A clinically significant elevation worth further evaluation (Correct answer)
- A perfectly normal result
- An invalid profile
Correct answer: A clinically significant elevation worth further evaluation
On MMPI-2 clinical scales, a T-score at or above 65 is considered clinically elevated and warrants clinical attention.
Question 7: Scale 4 (Pd) on the MMPI measures characteristics associated with which personality pattern?
- Schizophrenic thinking
- Psychopathic deviate traits such as social nonconformity (Correct answer)
- Paranoid ideation
- Hypochondriacal concerns
Correct answer: Psychopathic deviate traits such as social nonconformity
Scale 4 (Psychopathic Deviate) assesses traits like rebelliousness, family conflict, social alienation, and authority problems.
MMPI Trivia 2
Who were the original developers of the MMPI?