MMPI

[b-ball]

I am meeting with a custody evaluator and will be taking the MMPI, hasn't any one taken this before?   Do you have any tips?  

[lucky]

Yeah, be honest in the MMPI.  If you aren't, it'll show up in the results.

[Brent]

The only tip is "be honest". Attempting to 'fool' the test will only make you appear deceptive when it's scored. Just take it, and answer the questions honestly.

A few documents from the Articles page:

General Information On The MMPI
http://www.deltabravo.net/custody/mmpi-info.htm

MMPI-2 Validity Scales And Suspected Parental Alienation Syndrome
http://www.deltabravo.net/custody/pas-siegel.htm

Misuse of Psychological Tests in Forensic Settings: Some Horrible Examples
http://www.deltabravo.net/custody/misuse.htm

MMPI Scales: Interpretation of High Scores
http://www.deltabravo.net/custody/mmpiscores.htm

Ethical Principles In Forensic Assessment
http://www.deltabravo.net/custody/gorman.htm

Common Psychological Tests
http://www.deltabravo.net/custody/psychtests.htm


MMPI Search: http://www.deltabravo.net/cgi-bin/search.cgi?Terms=MMPI

[Detter D]

There are no "tips" to the MMPI except answer all questions
honestly and straight forward.

The test is a T/F thing, and think about each question as it is
written.

I took this thing, and still don't know what the final outcome was.
Won't know until Gal's evaluation is done.

[tulip]

DH and I both took this test when he was having a custody eval done 3 years ago. BM took it as well. The best thing is to answer it honestly.

For all of us, I think, they said that the results showed we answered "defensively" (to different degrees for each of us though). This, I was told, is really common in custody cases, because the people are trying to make themselves look good. Different personality traits stood out in me and bm, which were reported in the eval. DH's test results were deemed "invalid." He didn't have any emotional or mental problems they could find, so I guess they decided he must be lying. The evaluation report said that he "claimed virtues not humanly possible." Sometimes I think my husband has virtues not humanly possible, so this doesn't surprise me.

I have heard of other people taking this test for an employer, and been told they were lying, so they had to take to it over. The first time when they answered honestly, they were denied employment. The second time, when they answered a little different, (not as honestly--to make them sound a little cuckoo) they passed and got the job.

DH took that test a second time, for another reason, and was told he was a perfectly normal and well-adjusted human being with no emotional or psychological problems. I think part of it is who is reading the test. (The custody evaluator was VERY biased against him.) And I think they expect everyone to have a certain amount of stress when facing divorce and custody battles, so that would make them a little emotionally unstable.

Anyway, the best thing is just answer honestly. Don't think "How are they going to interpret this?" before you answer a question because you just don't know.

[nosonew]

I've taken it three times, twice for employment, once for custody eval. All three turned out well, but yes, since questions are repeated thru out the test, dishonesty is caught.

A funny though:  Some of the questions are like:
"I have diarrhea daily"  T  F
"Someone is after me to kill me!"  T  F
"I have been abducted by aliens"  T   F

So, be prepared for some pretty wacko questions.  I laughed my way thru half of it, wondering if there actually are people out there who say yes to some of the questions.  

Good luck!!!

[b-ball]

Thanks to all for all your help, I got the picture!!!!!!!!!1

Enjoy celebrating the birth of Christ and May God bless you and your family