Definitions of MMPI/MMPI-2 scales: Scales of Validity and Bias

TR Test-Retest (Buechley and Bell, 1952) (MMPI only) 16 repeated items. Independent of any other MMPI scale, independent of faking to look good or bad. Scores higher than 4 indicate a possible scoring error, reading difficulties, cooperation problems, or confusion. A valuable scale.

Cls Carelessness scale (Greene, 1978) (MMPI, replaced by the VRIN on the MMPI-2). 12 pairs of psychologically related items.

Scores higher than 6 may be due to the same problems as the Test-retest Index, or due to conflicts or ambivalence. It is best used with the Test-retest Index (Nichols, Greene &Schmolick, 1989).

? Scale - Cannot Say (MMPI/MMPI-2). A tally of omitted items. High scores may be due to obsessiveness, defensiveness, difficulty in reading, confusion, hostility, or paranoia. It is important to look for a pattern that may exist in the items that are left blank. More than ten left unanswered may be of clinical significance. Twenty or more left unanswered should be considered significant.

L Lie Scale (Hathaway and McKinley, 1951) (MMPI 15 items, MMPI-2, 15 items). High: (> Raw 5 for either the MMPI or the MMPI-2). Tendency to create a favorable impression as a response bias, conventional, rigid, moralistic, repression, denial, and insightless. A high L can mean anything from a very well mannered normal wanting to give a good impression, to a compensated paranoid. A high L will submerge scales of obvious psychopathology, and inflate scales of healthy functioning such as the Ego Strength scale.

Low: ( Raw 3 on the MMPI or the MMPI-2). Admitting to minor faults and shortcomings, independent, self-reliant.

F Scale - Infrequency (Hathaway &McKinley, 1951) (MMPI, 64 items; MMPI-2, 60 items). Very high (>T99) possible random, exaggerated, or misscored profile. Very high scores (T> 90) commonly found with schizophrenic patients. High scores (>T70), best measure of overall psychopathology, resentment, acting out, moodiness. Mostly elevations in the F scale are due to psychopathology; high item overlap with scale 8.

Low scores (T45), possible fake good profile.

K Scale - Defensiveness (McKinley, Hathaway &Meehl, 1948). (MMPI, 30 items; MMPI-2, 30 items).K is a subtle and valuable correction for defensiveness. However, a high K is also associated with high education and socio-economic status. That is, people who are highly educated and getting along well with other individuals, should score moderately high on the K scale. The K scale was derived from individuals who were hospitalized, clearly having serious psychological problems and yet producing normal profiles. They were being defensive by claiming that they had no psychological problems. K assumes psychopathology.

High ( >Raw 22 on MMPI or MMPI-2). If there are signs of psychopathology, high K indicates defensiveness, insightlessness, intolerance, dogmatism, and being controlling. Very high scores are always a sign of defensiveness. Moderately high scores with individuals who are college educated and appear to be fairly well adjusted,are normal.

< T46). Guarded prognosis for any insight therapy since their ego strength is low; masochistic confessors, poor self-concept, distrustful, and angry. A very low K could often be the only indication of psychopathology on an MMPI profile. > Low ( P>
Fb - Back F scale (Butcher, Dahlstrom, Grahm & Tellegen, 1989). (MMPI-2) 40 items found after item 280. Developed like the F scale, it is made up of items that are endorsed less than 10% of the time by normals (but frequently by disturbed individuals). If Fb is above T999, and F is not high, then the individual may have randomly responded to the latter part of the test. This is more likely than the other possible interpretation, namely that the testee decompensated toward the end of the test.

Ds Dissimulation Scale (Gough,1954); (58 items); developed on true neurotics verses normals faking neurosis, Ds measures more exaggeration of neurotic symptoms, whereas F and Fb assesses more exaggeration of psychotic or severe symptoms. Scores greater than T65 suggest some exaggeration, and scores greater than T98 are most likely to be exaggerated.

F(p)- Infrequency-Psychopathology Scale (Aribisi and Ben-Porath,1995a, 1995b); (27 items); the F scale was developed by normals who responded to items less than 10% of the time. The F(p) scale was constructed of items endorsed by 20% or less by two separate groups of psychiatric patients and by the MMPI-2 sample. The F(p) is better than F or Fb in detecting feigning serious psychopathology. Scores between T71 and T113 may be exaggerated, unless the psychopathology is obviously severe; scores greater than T113 suggest exaggeration.

TRIN - True Response Inconsistency scale (Butcher, Dahlstrom, Graham &Tellegen 1989). (MMPI-2) 23 pairs of items that are semantically inconsistent. High scores, 13 or more, have responded to the MMPI in a "yea-saying" test set, responding mostly "True".

Low scores of 5 or less responded with a "nay-saying" test set, responding mainly "False."

S Superlative Self-Presentation Scale (Butcher and Han, 1995) (50 items); based on comparing the responses of male airline pilot applicants with the male MMPI-2 normative sample. Five subscales are; Belief in Human Goodness, Serenity, Contentment with Life, Patience and Denial of Irritability and Anger, and Denial of Moral Flaws. Highly correlated with the K scale. As with K, if the person is indeed high functioning, a high score accurately measures ego strength. If however, the person's history does not support claims of superior adjustment, and T>65, consider a faking to look good bias.

Mp- Positive Malingering Scale (Cofer et al. ,1949) (26 items). Developed by having college students take the MMPI under conditions, of fake good, fake bad and normal. It may measure a conscious attempt to give a favorable impression. Mp is highly correlated with Sd, L and S. Mp should only be used along with L and K. If T greater than 60, and L and/or K are also high, there is likely to be a conscious attempt to fake to look good.

Sd-Social Desirability Scale (Wiggins, 1959) (33 items); based on asking college students to respond to the MMPI as a person who has the general values of the American culture. Sd highly correlates with Mp and L, and only slightly with K. High scores, >T65, are associated with claims of assertiveness, confidence, and virtuousness.

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