The Black MMPI Profile: Interpretive Problems

Abstract

In response to a letter inquiring about use of Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) items related to religion, Hathaway,' who is one of authors of inventory, states his antagonism to ignorant attacks on tests. In his view, psychological inventories are not offensive when used properly. He likens MMPI examination to physical examination, both of which are said to yield valuable information for personnel interested in selection of applicants for employment or education. He does not believe a properly trained professional would use instrument to disadvantage of those being tested. In summary, Hathaway's position is that, the MMPI will hurt no one, adult or child, in taking of it.... I surely defend it, and instruments like it, when they are in proper hands and for proper purposes.2 The writers of this paper are convinced, also, of integrity of psychologists who administer personality inventories and feel that responding to MMPI items is in no way hurtful. However, such questionnaires are capable of working welfare of man when interpretive hypotheses are based upon inadequate or incomplete empirical data or when tests are used in research in which there are gross methodological errors. This is case when MMPI responses are secured from black samples and interpreted according to traditional actuarial or codebook descriptions. The MMPI has withstood several major attacks leveled against it by psychometricians. The instrument currently enjoys a comfortable position among personality measures as evidenced by its widespread use and abundant literature. Experimentation on MMPI has generated publications in neighborhood of one