MMPI?

Has anyone ever taken the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)? My psychologist has offered to arrange for me to take it. She says it will give me a more concrete diagnosis than just someone who has met me a few times telling me what I have. She says she really does think I have bipolar, but I fret about feeling like I'm lying to people and all that, and it's only adding to my depression, so she suggested I take it to know "for sure".

Does anyone have any experience with this?

Personally, I like that inventory very much! It's a long one, though. It's very well constructed, with many studies of validation, reliability, etc. Basically, it measures around 10 different clinical categories, such as depression and hypomania, for example. The higher you score on each scale, the more you display the behaviours tested. As far as I know, the only criticism it receives has to do with minorities - apparently, non-whites tend to score a bit higher. It does not seem to be a big problem in my view, especially when you consider all the issues around other inventories/tests. If you'd like to know a bit more, I checked the wikipedia page and it appears to be solid.

I say go for it! I know the feeling of thinking I'm somehow faking it, or exaggerating the symptoms. Logically, I know that's not true, but that doesn't stop me from feeling like I'm just a fraud. I believe acceptance of the disorder is very important for successful management, so I'd definitely give it a go if I were you. Hopefully, it will help you in recognizing and coming to terms with your symptoms.

Good luck!

invicta wrote:As far as I know, the only criticism it receives has to do with minorities - apparently, non-whites tend to score a bit higher.

That's a very interesting one. Why would that be?

Well, I'm by no means an expert, but according to what I've quickly read, two approaches stand out:

- because of differences in values, etc. that arise from being raised in a non-white culture
- because of intrinsic socio-economic differences between the two groups

It could be a combination of both. I don't know how it is in other countries, but from what I see here non-whites do grow up in a somewhat different culture. At the same time, sadly they tend to have less income and such. For example, one of the constructs in which the score is higher for non-whites measures odd thinking and social alienation. It could well be argued that if a person is brought up within some African religious traditions, he/she will have some beliefs that could be classified as "odd thinking". At the same time, another person raised within a poor socio-economic background, which is common for non-white, is very likely to feel socially alienated.

Basically, I'd say it's probably a bit of both, with maybe some other factors coming into play. One thing I just thought of: within the same construct as above, wouldn't it be likely that non-whites victims of racism feel alienated from society? Sounds plausible to me! Again, I'm no expert, just what I quickly researched online! Hope this helps!

Thank you for your thoughts. That is interesting about various races having higher scores in certain areas. I never considered that. I guess they couldn't ask for a race when you take it due to possible bias by the scorer (if the test is written)? Or do they ask?

One of my concerns after doing further research is the lack of confidentiality of the test. Apparently lots of people (including physicians, insurance companies, employers, etc.) can get the results. I don't know that my employer would even know to ask for them, but I guess I thought that it would not go to the insurance company unless my doctor agreed with the diagnosis. I don't know what sort of naive idea that was. I will have to look into that a little more before I agree.

Thanks for the positive push, though! That is very helpful to me.

Yes, the test is written. As far as I can remember there are no questions regarding race. That's only recorded for validation studies to check for bias.

Regarding confidentiality you should check the law in your country and the ethics code. Where I'm from the law is very protective of patients' rights to confidentiality. With the exception of a few situations doctors cannot give any information regarding their patients. What's more, doctors are usually very conscious of their obligations to protect their patients. There are a few bad apples naturally, but they are very rare. If I were you I'd also talk to my doctor about that, just to give me some peace of mind. You should be in control of how much information you want disclosed, if any.

Let us know how it goes!

I'm curious why this question is being asked in a forum devoted to a mood disorder. Mood disorders are not personality disorders, and in any case MMPI was not designed for the diagnosis of pathology. Also, when a pathology is already thought to be present, there are more appropriate tools available for evaluation. These tools include the SCID-I for so-called Axis I conditions, SCID-II for Axis II conditions, and the SCID-D-R for dissociative conditions (because these were omitted from SCID-I).

It looks like the results can only be given out for court purposes or to whomever orders the test - i.e., the therapist. But since my insurance company is paying for the test, I know they will receive the results, which scares me a little. I have gotten some diagnoses that insurance companies here consider untreatable, but no one has ever given those diagnoses to my insurance carrier because of it. With this test, no one gets to choose what the company hears. I see my doctor again tonight, so I will ask her anyway. I should've asked last time, but I was a little wound up and wasn't thinking straight...

Thanks again for your help.

Una+ wrote:I'm curious why this question is being asked in a forum devoted to a mood disorder. Mood disorders are not personality disorders, and in any case MMPI was not designed for the diagnosis of pathology. Also, when a pathology is already thought to be present, there are more appropriate tools available for evaluation. These tools include the SCID-I for so-called Axis I conditions, SCID-II for Axis II conditions, and the SCID-D-R for dissociative conditions (because these were omitted from SCID-I).

Why do you say that? I don't mean to be rude, but I actually disagree. This test was developed and is used to diagnose psychopathologies, including mood and personality disorders, among everything else. What do you think it was designed for?

I do agree that there are more specific tests when a diagnosis has already been made, but I don't see why this one shouldn't be used. As with all tests, it has its shortcomings, but on the whole it is seen as very reliable means of diagnosis.

Gratteciel, have you spoken with your doctor about your concerns? It sucks that the insurance company will receive your results, that doesn't seem fair! Please make sure that that is legal. I'm pretty sure that here only the patient, doctor, and court can have access to results, but I guess that this could be different in other countries.

I missed the question about why I posted this in the mood disorder section. Try this: I have a mood disorder. My psychologist and psychiatrist told me the same thing. It draws out symptoms of psychosis, mania, and depression (among other things such as symptoms of personality disorders) for a professional to interpret. Although my psychologist and psychiatrist have made the same diagnosis (bipolar type II), I was questioning it, and I could not accept it and had convinced myself I was lying, perhaps due to a mixed episode, so my doctor thinks. Taking a test specifically for one type of disorder would not allow the possibility for another type of diagnosis, and therefore would not calm my mind. (I have also gotten BPD from a couple people, so that might come out on the test as well.) Of course, I've come down some and lost interest in that particular topic.

On that note, I've decided to postpone the test or not take it at all because it would eat up what little money I have left in my insurance account to use toward treatment before I have to pay a massive deductible. I would rather use that on the psychologist than the test.

I think it is legal since the insurance company would be paying for the test. I don't know if they get the actual results or if they only get the diagnosis the doctor gives after interpreting the results. If I do decide to take the test later on, I will be sure to ask.