What is the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) test?

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, aka MMPI test, is a versatile assessment therapists can use to better assess and treat clients and patients. 

But what, exactly, is the MMPI test? How is it used? And, as a therapist, how can you use the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory to understand your clients on a deeper level—and tailor their treatment accordingly?

What is the MMPI test?

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI ) test consists of true-false questions. It’s designed to measure the testee's anxiety, depression, sociopathy, psychosis, truthfulness, criminal thinking, personality disorder symptoms, and other aspects of mental health.

There are a few different versions of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, each of which has different MMPI test questions. 

For example, according to Clint Kreider, LMFT, Clinical Director of Still Water Wellness Group, “the full version includes 567 true-or-false statements—although shorter forms, like the MMPI-2-RF ([which has] 338 items), are also available for specific use cases.”

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Different types of MMPI exams

MMPI-2

The MMPI-2 is considered the standard adult version of the test—and again, contains 567 true/false questions. The MMPI-II test takes most people between 60 and 90 minutes to complete.

MMPI-2-RF

This is a shorter version of the MMPI-2 that contains fewer true/false questions—338 to be specific. Because it’s shorter than the original, the MMPI-2-RF takes less time to complete—generally between 30 and 50 minutes.

MMPI-Adolescent (or MMPI-A)

The MMPI-2 and MMPI-2-RF are for adults only. In 1992, an adolescent version was released—the MMPI-A. This test consists of 478 true/false questions and takes about an hour to complete.

MMPI-A-RF

Similar to the MMPI-2, the MMPI-A also has a shortened version known as the MMPI-A-RF. First released in 2016, this test contains 241 questions and generally takes between 25 and 45 minutes to complete.

MMPI-3

In 2020, there was an update to the multiphasic personality inventory—the first major update in over 30 years. 

This new version, known as the MMPI-3, was updated to be more relevant to modern audiences (for example, it features new scales to assess currently relevant issues like eating disorders and compulsivity); this version contains 335 questions and takes about 35 to 50 minutes to complete.

Each version of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory uses clinical scales (or groups of questions) to assess for different psychological conditions such as depression, psychopathy, or paranoia. 

The test results are then compared to “normal” ranges to determine if a person is experiencing a certain condition—and, if so, at what severity.

In addition to the clinical scales, there are also scales that measure other criteria, including higher-order scales (which offer broad categorization of psychopathic presentation), problem scales (which highlight responses that are consistent with psychopathic and/or psychosomatic presentation, like suicidal ideation, self-doubt, or physical symptoms like gastrointestinal or head pain complaints), and validity scales (which assess deceptive test-taking measures or inconsistent answers).

How many MMPI test questions are there?

As mentioned, there are a number of different versions of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory—and the number of questions vary by version. However, the MMPI-2 (which is often considered the standard adult test) has 567 true-false questions.

How is the MMPI test used?

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory can be used in a variety of settings, including:

• Mental health assessments
• Forensic/legal
• Job screenings or as a precursor for employment

“The MMPI test is used with a wide range of clients, including those seeking mental health treatment, individuals involved in legal or custody evaluations, and candidates for high-stress jobs,” says Kreider.

One of the biggest draws of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory is that, unlike other personality assessments, the MMPI test has built-in validity scales—which, again, can help assess how someone is approaching the test and identify if and when the way they’re presenting themselves differently from the way actually they view, relate to, or understand themselves. 

This can help therapists get a better idea of what’s actually happening with their client or patient, even if said patient isn’t being the most forthcoming about how they think or what they’re experiencing—or if they’re purposefully trying to present themselves in a certain way. For example, people with psychopathy may try to present as “normal” and hide their psychopathic traits.

“The MMPI test is impossible to ‘fool,’” says LA-based clinical psychologist Dr. Nancy B. Irwin. “In fact, there are questions looking for deception that are built into the exam.”

“It is useful when more in-depth information is needed to understand a client’s psychological functioning or when clients may not be forthcoming about specific issues,” says Kreider.

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How is the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory administered?

Now that you know what the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory is and how it’s used, let’s move on to how the test is actually administered.

“The MMPI test is typically administered as a self-report questionnaire, either on paper or digitally,” says Kreider.

“Clients respond to statements about their feelings, thoughts, and behaviors, which are

then analyzed across multiple scales to identify psychological patterns,” Kreider continues.

After the test is completed by the client, according to Irwin, it is then scored by a professional psychologist or a clinic that specializes in psychometry.

“A very thorough recap is returned to the psychologist or psychiatrist to share with the patient,” says Irwin.

How does the MMPI exam help therapists?

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory can be an extremely helpful tool for therapists—one that can help them provide better care for their clients.

“For therapists, the MMPI is an invaluable tool for gaining deeper insights into a client’s mental state and personality traits,” says Kreider. “It can reveal underlying issues that might not be immediately apparent during therapy sessions, providing a roadmap for treatment planning.”

“For example, if a client scores high on scales related to depression or anxiety, this information can guide therapy sessions toward addressing these specific concerns,” Kreider continues. 

The MMPI test can also be helpful in identifying underlying issues that the client isn't forthcoming with—either consciously or unconsciously. 

This can help therapists more accurately assess and diagnose clients, and it can help them create more targeted, comprehensive treatment plans to address the client as a whole.

Sources

1. National Library of Medicine. Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory.
2. PsychCentral. All About The MMPI Personality Test.
3. Healthline. What to Know About the MMPI Test.
4. Pearson Assessments. Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2.
5. Pearson Assessments. Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form.
6. Pearson Assessments. Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-3.
7. Pearson Assessments. Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Adolescent.
8. Pearson Assessments. Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Adolescent-Restructured Form.

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