Role of Tests and Measurement

Role of Tests and Measurement in Organizations and Other Settings

An explanation of the role of testing and assessment in psychological settings

The deployment of psychological testing in clinical settings is common. The MMPI-2 (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory: Version 2) is one of the most common types of evaluation instruments. It provides a general personality overview for ten specific types of personality traits, spanning hypochondria, depression, emotionality, psychopathology, gendered behaviors, paranoia, OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder), schizophrenia, hypomania and introversion (Wagner 2009, p.2) it also contains control questions to flag respondents pretending to seem overly normal or abnormal, or who are lying or obviously answering the test randomly (Wagner 2009, p.1).

Giving a specific diagnosis to a patient that is commensurate with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) is often a required part of the diagnostic process. For example, the use of psychological instruments such as the MMPI-2 is often necessary for insurance purposes or in clinical trials. The results of an MMPI-2 can provide a generalized, schematic introduction to a person which is useful in settings where the therapist does not have a great deal of time to interview and get to know the patient.

The MMPI consists of 567 multiple choice test questions. It can be administered on computer and be used flag mild as well as serious psychological problems (Wagner 2009, p.1). One potential criticism of the MMPI-2 is that although it is only supposed to be scored by a trained professional, the multiple choice "objective" format can lead to cursory diagnosis and analysis.