Re: MMPI-2 test...q's LONG

[Guest guest]

--- Blanshan stephs_dolphin@...> wrote:

> hello everyone, right now I am beside myself not knowing what to do. I just

> received my psych test and not so sure that it is good...not sure if it will

> keep me from having surgery, but not only that, I am not so sure that I

> agree with the findings of this MMPI-2 test! I am confused and not sure how

> to take this...can anyone who has had their psych test help??

>

Hey ! I have not had a psyche eval yet, but I have a MS in counseling

and and have had at least one course on giving and interpreting the MMPI-- Plus

I read psych evals and med records in my job. First, it is not exactly

accepted procedure for " patients " to be given the results of the test! The

reason is that folks tend to have exactly the sort of reaction you are having--

the shrink who gave you the test should be willing to explain the " results " and

I would make an appointment to do so. Second, take the " results " with a BIG

load of salt! Simple tendencies in your behavior and thinking can end up

looking like serious problems, which is the real danger in trying to reduce a

living breathing complex person down to 12 scales of personality " traits " .

Third, it doesn't sound like the shrink is buying the results whole sale,

because you are too functional to be a flaming nut job.

Now, keep in mind the questions on the mmpi are usually " scored " by a computer

program, which is based on the collected scores of huge numbers of " known "

types of psychological profiles-- BUT the frame of mind you are in on the day

you take the silly thing can skew your responses some. Also, sometimes the

test exaggerates a personality trait-- so someone who is kind of distrustful of

others has an elevated paranoia scale. Plus, if the actual scores for a given

scale aren't above (can't remember which the new version is) either 60 or 70,

it is not considered clinically significant-- but I have read test scores on

some of the clients of the Law firm I work for who have some serious problems,

and the scores don't always reflect how messed up they are-- so go figure!

What your test results as interpreted by your shrink are saying is that the

scores show you have some problems, but they are at odds with how you are doing

in your life-- despite the fact that the " validity " scale shows the test was

taken properly, chances are that it is over interpreting personality traits.--

It isn't the last word on mental health, by any means! Studies show, for

instance, that psychologists tend to score high in the socio-pathic scales--

which means they are more prone to murder and mayhem , and psychology students

score high in the paranoia scales (of course they ARE being closely scrutinized

and they know it, so is isn't pathological, it is an acuret assessment of their

school life reality).

Hang in there and don't move into the local nut house just yet! Get the shrink

to talk to you about the " results " then find a decent counselor for a hand full

of sessions to " explore " your " issues " around WLS as suggested by the shrink.

Can't hurt, and it would show that your resentment of authority figures doesn't

go far enough to keep you from following medical advice.-- in fact, you can

probably get some free or low cost " therapy " from a university or college that

trains psychologists-- the students have to practice on someone....wouldn't do

them any harm to see that the MMPI isn't perfect.

Nan E.

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