3. Personality Tests

2. The MMPI Personality Inventory

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) is one of the most important tools to assess personality.  This assessment of personality was not aligned with any theory or psychological approach.  In its first version in 1939,  clients answers to questions were compared to a set of acceptable answers from test groups' responses.

It was criticized for not having large enough or random enough samples of people to compare with.  The test subjects were all white, married and middle class.  The next version included a larger and more random population sample.  The inventory has gone through many reincarnations, including tests for adolescents.  The test questions attempt to minimize false, incorrect or inconsistant answers.

These are some of the items that are assessed by the analysis of the questions.

*This type of test must be administered by a professional psychologist.*