Hathaway and McKinley took a different approach: . They gathered hundreds of true-false questions and compared the responses of known clinical groups (e.g., patients with depression, schizophrenia, or hypochondriasis) with a "normal" control group. Questions that differentiated the groups became part of the clinical scales.
This article provides an exhaustive overview of the MMPI-2, including its history, structure, clinical and validity scales, applications, administration, and important limitations. To understand the MMPI-2, one must first appreciate its predecessor, the original MMPI. Developed in 1939 by clinical psychologist Starke R. Hathaway and neuropsychiatrist J. Charnley McKinley at the University of Minnesota, the original MMPI was revolutionary. Before its creation, most psychological assessments were either projective (like the Rorschach inkblot test) or based on the clinician’s subjective intuition.
For anyone who undergoes an MMPI-2 assessment, the best advice is simple: Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute psychological or medical advice. The MMPI-2, MMPI-3, and their derivatives are proprietary instruments. Only qualified mental health professionals should administer or interpret them.
