Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (Mmpi)
This is a self-report test containing 550 statements that can be answered true or false (Levitt & Durkworth, 1984). It was first published in 1943 for use in routine diagnostic assessment. As one of the most widely used psychological tests, the MMPI is sometimes given to alcoholics and drug users to evaluate the psychological effects of substance use as well as the personality characteristics of substance abusers.
The MMPI is scored in subunits or scales. Eight scales comprise the main parts of the clinical pro-file, which is a standard way of describing the patient's personality features in relation to population norms. The clinical scales measure hypochondriasis, depression, hysteria, psychopathic deviancy, paranoia, psychasthemia, schizophrenia, and hypomania.
The MMPI has three main applications to the diagnosis and study of substance-use disorders. First, it has been used to evaluate the effects of alcohol and drug abuse. Several studies (Pettinati et al., 1982; Babor et al., 1988) have found that MMPI clinical scales measuring depression, paranoia, and other psychiatric symptomatology tend to be higher than normal when alcoholics are drink-ing—but return to the normal range during periods of abstinence. Second, the MMPI has been used to identify subtypes of alcoholics and drug users that might benefit from specialized treatments. For example, several studies have found three types of alcoholics based on their MMPI profiles: neurotic, psychotic, and psychopathic (Conley, 1981; Nerviano & Gross, 1983). Third, the MMPI has been used in the development of screening tests. The MacAndrew scale (MacAndrew, 1965), for example, is used to measure impulsivity, pressure for action, and acting-out potential that may lead to alcoholism and drug abuse. Persons who score high on the MacAndrew scale are therefore considered to be at risk for substance-use disorders.
Addiction Severity Index; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual; Disease Concept of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse; Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test)
Bibliography
BABOR, T. F., ET AL. (1988). Unitary versus multidimensional models of alcoholism treatment outcome: An empirical study. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 49, 167-177.
CONLEY, J. J. (1981). An MMPI typology of male alcoholics: Admission, discharge and outcome comparison. Journal of Personality Assessment, 45, 33-39.
LEVITT, E. E., & DUCKWORTH, J. C. (1984). Minnesota multiphasic personality inventory. In D. J. Keyser & R. C. Sweetland (Eds.), Test critiques. Kansas City, MO: Test Corporation of America.
MAC ANDREW, C. (1965). The differentiation of male alcoholic outpatients from non-alcoholic psychiatric patients by means of the MMPI. Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 26, 238-246.
NERVIANO, V. J., & GROSS, H. W. (1983). Personality types of alcoholics on objective inventories. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 44, 837-851.
PETTINATI, H. M., SUGARMAN, A. A., & MAURER, H.S. (1982). Four year MMPI changes in abstinent and drinking alcoholics. Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research, 6, 487-494.
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