History of psychological assessment - Research Paper Example

(Marmant, 4) It is the best allusion in a discussion of the development of psychological testing over the sands of time. as such, this paper is a discussion of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and its contribution to the development of psychological testing in the 21st century. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) is a fruit of a psychologist and a psychiatrist of the 20th century. Their invention has proven indispensable in psychological testing over the years.

It is a written psychological assessment clinically used to diagnose mental disorders. It screens psychological disorders in adults and adolescents not children. The MMPI was not originally designed to be used on non clinical populations but it has found its way into the elite of psychological testing models of the 21st century. (Graham, 2) In fact, since its inception, it has been considered the gold standard in personality testing as a measure of psychopathology and personality structure. In its developmental stages, it was conceptualized as an efficient way of detecting psychiatric disturbance.

(Marmant, 36) The test construction came within the context of a crisis in the U.S. public mental health care system. The MMPI was designed as a diagnostic tool for psychiatrists. After the war, the test model represented organizational reform in clinical psychology as it fostered professional relationships between psychiatrists and psychologists. The MMPI should be administered, scored and interpreted by a clinical professional who is well trained in its use. This should preferably be a psychiatrist or a psychologist.

For validity of test results, the MMPI should not be used as a sole basis for diagnosis. The basis of the result interpretation should be a detailed history of the test subject. The administrator should also review psychological, medical, educational and other relevant records. Cultural and language barriers could bias the test performance and as such, the administrator should be afore informed of such barriers before the test. The test subject should be furnished with information on the nature of the test and its intended use and complete standardized instructions before the test.

The test should take between one hour and one and a half hours to complete. (Graham, 12) The modern test has ten scales used to show different psychological conditions. The names given to each of the scales are not a pure measure due to the many conditions that have overlapping symptoms. The administrators hence refer to each scale simply by number. The original scales were designed to measure common diagnoses of the era. These scales are; Scale 1 (Hypochondriasis), Scale 2 (Depression), Scale 3 (Hysteria), Scale 4, (Psychopathic Deviate), Scale 5 (Masculinity/Femininity), Scale 6 (Paranoia), Scale 7, (Psychasthenia), Scales 8 (Schizophrenia), Scale 9 (Hypomania), Scale 0 (social introversion).

(Robert and Dennis, 18) After its establishment, the test faced scrutiny from clinicians and doctors concerning its accuracy. It was argued that the original sample group was inadequate. There were also concerns that its questions were sexist and racist and that the results indicated possible test bias. True to any other invention, the MMPI had to undergo developments to suit the demands of rising challenges of the new era, silence the critics and to make it a better psychological testing tool all together.

These numerous changes over time have given rise to the current best