MMPI-2 and MMPI-3 news

[kells76]

For those interested, looks like last month a new MMPI was released.

https://www.upress.umn.edu/test-division/mmpi-3-announcement

From the link:

"There are no plans at this time to discontinue the MMPI-2 or MMPI-2-RF, but the MMPI-3 is intended to be a replacement version of the test. As the publisher of the MMPI, the University of Minnesota Press strongly encourages all users to transition to the new version of the test owing to its up-to-date normative samples and enhanced coverage of clinically-relevant content."

[alleyesonme]

For those interested, looks like last month a new MMPI was released.

https://www.upress.umn.edu/test-division/mmpi-3-announcement

From the link:

"There are no plans at this time to discontinue the MMPI-2 or MMPI-2-RF, but the MMPI-3 is intended to be a replacement version of the test. As the publisher of the MMPI, the University of Minnesota Press strongly encourages all users to transition to the new version of the test owing to its up-to-date normative samples and enhanced coverage of clinically-relevant content."

Thanks for sharing. Any thoughts as to the benefits of using the new test versus the old one in a custody dispute? Could it be argued that the new one hasn't been around long enough to establish its accuracy?

[livednlearned]

I'm not a psychologist, tho I do have a research background. I dug into this a bit out of curiosity (and rampant nerdism)

Of the second versions of the MMPI, there is both an MMPI-2 and a MMPI-2-RF.

Some critics are concerned about the construct and statistical validity of MMPI-2-RF, which came second, and was not improving upon the MMPI-2 so much as reconstructing it.

Of the (so-called) third version of the MMPI, there is some concern that the MMPI-3 is simply a light revision of the MMPI-2-RF, and that by rebranding it as MMPI-3, the authors makes it seem like an improvement upon and replacement of the MMPI-2 (the original one) when in fact it's a different instrument that has had less uptake. It's a good question you ask. It means that there is some marketing going on, although as a layperson it can be hard to know what that might mean for our cases.

In most of our cases, from what I've read on these boards over the years, the MMPI (any version) does not become the lightning rod for high-stakes decision-making because there are often other factors in play that matter more, or just as much as a psych eval. If it does play a significant role, an expert witness is required to explain to the judge the nitty gritty of what the test was designed to detect, who is qualified to administer it (and analyze the results), whether it was administered properly, whether the instrument is valid, including any controversies that might be relevant.

I only recall 2 members over the years whose cases went that far, and at what seemed to be great expense. One of them included other instruments besides just the MMPI-2 (including one specifically to assess personality disorders). Both cases involved false allegations of domestic violence (against the dads) so the custody evaluation was necessary to reset things so to speak.

A psych eval was ordered for my ex but I failed to specify an objective evaluation administered by a forensic psychologist who had experience with the MMPI-2. Instead we got a soft ball 4 sessions with someone who would not draw conclusions altho it was a damning 12-page report nonetheless.

If I were to do it again I would want to ask for a qualified forensic psychologist which instrument they used (MMPI-2, MMPI-2 RF, or MMPI-3) and why, what kind of experience did they have with that instrument blah blah.

And I would take comfort in a forensic psychologist who said, "I use the MMPI-2 because this is an important case and it's been validated. I've been using the MMPI-3 but only in these situations for these reasons etc."

Just some sign that they understand the difference.

 

[alleyesonme]

I'm not a psychologist, tho I do have a research background. I dug into this a bit out of curiosity (and rampant nerdism)

Of the second versions of the MMPI, there is both an MMPI-2 and a MMPI-2-RF.

Some critics are concerned about the construct and statistical validity of MMPI-2-RF, which came second, and was not improving upon the MMPI-2 so much as reconstructing it.

Of the (so-called) third version of the MMPI, there is some concern that the MMPI-3 is simply a light revision of the MMPI-2-RF, and that by rebranding it as MMPI-3, the authors makes it seem like an improvement upon and replacement of the MMPI-2 (the original one) when in fact it's a different instrument that has had less uptake. It's a good question you ask. It means that there is some marketing going on, although as a layperson it can be hard to know what that might mean for our cases.

In most of our cases, from what I've read on these boards over the years, the MMPI (any version) does not become the lightning rod for high-stakes decision-making because there are often other factors in play that matter more, or just as much as a psych eval. If it does play a significant role, an expert witness is required to explain to the judge the nitty gritty of what the test was designed to detect, who is qualified to administer it (and analyze the results), whether it was administered properly, whether the instrument is valid, including any controversies that might be relevant.

I only recall 2 members over the years whose cases went that far, and at what seemed to be great expense. One of them included other instruments besides just the MMPI-2 (including one specifically to assess personality disorders). Both cases involved false allegations of domestic violence (against the dads) so the custody evaluation was necessary to reset things so to speak.

A psych eval was ordered for my ex but I failed to specify an objective evaluation administered by a forensic psychologist who had experience with the MMPI-2. Instead we got a soft ball 4 sessions with someone who would not draw conclusions altho it was a damning 12-page report nonetheless.

If I were to do it again I would want to ask for a qualified forensic psychologist which instrument they used (MMPI-2, MMPI-2 RF, or MMPI-3) and why, what kind of experience did they have with that instrument blah blah.

And I would take comfort in a forensic psychologist who said, "I use the MMPI-2 because this is an important case and it's been validated. I've been using the MMPI-3 but only in these situations for these reasons etc."

Just some sign that they understand the difference.

 

As always, great info here - thank you! For the other two cases you referenced, do you remember which additional test(s) that they used? Was it the SCID-5-PD?

[livednlearned]

I wish I could remember 

The one you mention doesn't ring a bell.

I vaguely remember PPI ... some kind of personality index? But when I tried to look it up (there's a database for psychologist instruments) I couldn't see anything like it. I believe in that one case there was such over the top behavior that it was unavoidable for the mom to undergo a full battery of psychiatric testing.

[alleyesonme]

I wish I could remember 

The one you mention doesn't ring a bell.

I vaguely remember PPI ... some kind of personality index? But when I tried to look it up (there's a database for psychologist instruments) I couldn't see anything like it. I believe in that one case there was such over the top behavior that it was unavoidable for the mom to undergo a full battery of psychiatric testing.

Got it - thanks for checking. Based on research I've done, the SCID-5-PD is essentially a guided interview that assesses for personality disorders. In my completely biased and untrained opinion, this could help diagnose a BP that somehow goes undetected by the MMPI.