A Beginner's Guide to the MMPI-2

by James N. Butcher

James N. Butcher has updated his popular book A Beginner's Guide To The MMPI-2. Like the first, this edition provides a readable but thorough introduction to the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory Revised (MMPI-2), the most widely researched and broadly used personality assessment instrument. This primer, written by one of the authors of the MMPI-2, will be useful for nonpsychologist professionals who need a quick overview of the test, as well as for students of clinical and personality assessment who seek a reliable introductory text. In clear and nontechnical language, Butcher explains how the test was developed to describe and predict behavior in a range of clinical settings. He also describes the various scales on the MMPI-2, as well as strategies for drawing information from them. The book is generously illustrated with case material so that readers can acquire a practical understanding of the test. A chapter that demonstrates how to integrate scale interpretations into a clinical evaluation and communicate the results through a written report is also included. The revised edition contains updated descriptions of the scales and describes and illustrates several new measures. The case illustrations have been expanded to help readers better understand the test interpretation process. Information about procedures and issues in the assessment of minorities was also broadened. No other resource offers such an accessible and comprehensive explanation of the MMPI-2 for those new to psychometric testing and its clinical applications.

Genres: Psychology

231 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 1999

About the author

James N Butcher is Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Butcher received his graduate training at the University of North Carolina and served on the faculty of the University of Minnesota for over 40 years. He has written more than 50 books and 175 articles on the MMPI®, MMPI®-2, and MMPI-A, including Essentials of MMPI-2 and MMPI-A Interpretation (with Dr Carolyn Williams), published in 2000 by the University of Minnesota Press. He was instrumental in identifying the need for a revision of the MMPI, which resulted in the MMPI Restandardization Project conducted during the 1980s and 1990s.

More recently, Dr. Butcher co-authored two books published by the American Psychological Association: Assessing Hispanic Clients Using the MMPI-2 and MMPI-A (with Jose Cabiya, Emilia Lucio and Maria Garrido, 2007) and the third edition of The MMPI/MMPI-2/MMPI-A in Court (with Ken Pope and Joyce Seelen, 2006). Butcher and 25 colleagues from around the world used the Adolescent Interpretive System of the Minnesota Report to develop International Case Studies on the MMPI-A: An Objective Approach. This casebook illustrates the use of the Minnesota Report with adolescents in 15 countries outside the United States.

Reviews

[Courtney Moeller]

Thorough and informative about the developmental history, clinical use, efficacy/validity/reliability and administration guidelines.

The book also provides a broad range of examples for various reports, research-based code-types, and general interpretations.

Great book for those just beginning to learn the MMPI-2 and as a quick reference guide to aid in interpretation.