Helmes, Edward (2008) Modern applications of the MMPI/MMPI-2 in assessment. In: Boyle, Gregory J., Matthews, Gerald, and Saklofske, Donald H., (eds.) The SAGE Handbook of Personality Theory and Assessment. SAGE, London, UK, pp. 589-607.

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Abstract

The year 2005 provided the 65th anniversary of the first official publication on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) (Hathaway aud McKinley, 1940). There are comparatively few psychological tests which continue to be in current clinical use from their original development. This length of use of a psychological test has few rivals. It is predated by some decades by the introduction of the Rorschach and the Stanford Binet and is roughly equal in age to the series of intelligence and memory tests that were begun by David Wechsler during the same period of time in the late 1930s. As with the Wechsler and Binet scales, and unlike the Rorschach, the venerable MMPI has undergone recent development and change, albeit not on as regular schedule or as extensive change as has been the case with the Wechsler scales. Since its introduction, there has also been criticism of the MMPI that has continued from early into modern times, with some of these criticisms directed at the very core functions of the MMPI. While the criticisms date to shortly after the introduction of the MMPI (see Helmes and Reddon, 1993, for a review), the MMPI-2 Edward Helmes continues in wide use despite its manifest weaknesses. Some of these weaknesses derive from the origins of the MMPI, while others arise from the wide range of uses (and frequent misuses) to which the test has been put. Such uses have been driven by the implicit and at time explicit claims for the many diverse applications of the test into settings that its developers never foresaw. Still other weaknesses are inherent in more complex issues involving the entire field of personality assessment (Hathaway, 1972).

Item ID:	7315
Item Type:	Book Chapter (Research - B1)
ISBN:	978-1-4129-4652-0
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Date Deposited:	02 Feb 2010 05:28
FoR Codes:	17 PSYCHOLOGY AND COGNITIVE SCIENCES > 1701 Psychology > 170109 Personality, Abilities and Assessment @ 100%
SEO Codes:	92 HEALTH > 9204 Public Health (excl. Specific Population Health) > 920410 Mental Health @ 100%
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