Editing Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (section)

== Scale composition ==

=== Clinical scales ===
The original clinical scales were designed to measure common diagnoses of the era.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Number
! Abbreviation
! Name
! Description<ref name= "mmpi_clinical">{{cite web |title=Interpretation of MMPI-2 Clinical Scales |url=https://www.upress.umn.edu/test-division/mtdda/webdocs/mmpi-2-training-slides/interpretation-of-mmpi-2-clinical-scales |website=University of Minnesota Press |date=2015}}</ref>
! No. of items
|-
| 1
| Hs
| [[Hypochondriasis]]
| Concern with bodily symptoms
| 32
|-
| 2
| D
| [[Depression (mood)|Depression]]
| Depressive symptoms
| 57
|-
| 3
| Hy
| [[Hysteria]]
| Awareness of problems and vulnerabilities
| 60
|-
| 4
| Pd
| [[Psychopathy|Psychopathic Deviate]]
| Conflict, struggle, anger, respect for society's rules
| 50
|-
| 5
| MF
| [[Masculinity]]/[[Femininity]]
| Stereotypical masculine or feminine interests/behaviors
| 56
|-
| 6
| Pa
| [[Paranoia]]
| Level of trust, suspiciousness, sensitivity
| 40
|-
| 7
| Pt
| [[Psychasthenia]]
| Worry, anxiety, tension, doubts, obsessiveness
| 48
|-
| 8
| Sc
| [[Schizophrenia]]
| Odd thinking and social alienation
| 78
|-
| 9
| Ma
| [[Hypomania]]
| Level of excitability
| 46
|-
| 0
| Si
| Social [[Introversion]]
| People orientation
| 69
|}

==== Code types ====
Code types are a combination of the two or three (and, according to a few authors, even four) highest-scoring clinical scales (e.g. 4, 8, 6 = 486). Code types are interpreted as a single, wider ranged elevation, rather than interpreting each scale individually. For profiles without defined code types, interpretation should focus on the individual scales.
<ref name= "mmpi_clinical" />

==== Psychopathic Deviate ====
This scale comes from the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2), where 50 statements compose the Psychopathic Deviate subscale. The 50 statements must be answered in true or false format as applied to one's self.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Skeem|first1=Jennifer L.|last2=Polaschek|first2=Devon L. L.|last3=Patrick|first3=Christopher J.|last4=Lilienfeld|first4=Scott O.|date=December 2011|title=Psychopathic Personality: Bridging the Gap Between Scientific Evidence and Public Policy|url=http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1529100611426706|journal=Psychological Science in the Public Interest|language=en|volume=12|issue=3|pages=95–162|doi=10.1177/1529100611426706|pmid=26167886|s2cid=8521465|issn=1529-1006|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

The Psychopathic Deviate scale measures general social maladjustment and the absence of strongly pleasant experiences. The items on this scale tap into complaints about family and authority figures in general, self-alienation, social alienation and boredom.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Psychopathic Deviate Scale (PD)|url=https://arc.psych.wisc.edu/self-report/psychopathic-deviate-scale-pd/|access-date=2021-07-08|website=Addiction Research Center|language=en-US}}</ref>

When diagnosing psychopathy, the MMPI-2's Psychopathic Deviate scale is considered one of the traditional personality tests that contain subscales relating to psychopathy, though they assess relatively non-specific tendencies towards antisocial or criminal behavior.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2016-05-17|title=Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)|url=https://psychcentral.com/lib/minnesota-multiphasic-personality-inventory-mmpi|access-date=2021-07-08|website=Psych Central|language=en}}</ref>

====Clinical subscales====
The clinical scales are heterogeneous for their item content. To assist clinicians in interpreting the scales, researchers have developed subscales of more homogeneous items within each scale. The ''Harris–Lingoes (1955)'' scales was one of the most widely used results of this approach<ref>{{cite book |title=Health Status of Vietnam Veterans, Volume IV: Psychological and Neuropsychological Evaluation |year=1989 |publisher=[[Center for Disease Control]] |page=164 |url=https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/veterans/pdfs/volumeiv/PsychologicalandNeuropsychologicalEvaluation4_5.pdf}}</ref> and were included in the MMPI-2<ref>{{cite web |title=MMPI-2 scales |url=https://www.upress.umn.edu/test-division/mmpi-2/mmpi-2-scales |website=University of Minnesota Press}}</ref> and MMPI-A.<ref>{{cite web |title=MMPI-A scales |url=https://www.upress.umn.edu/test-division/mmpi-a/mmpi-a-scales |website=University of Minnesota Press}}</ref>

=== Restructured Clinical (RC) scales ===

The Restructured Clinical scales were designed to be psychometrically improved versions of the original clinical scales, which were known to contain a high level of interscale correlation, overlapping items, and were confounded by the presence of an overarching factor that has since been extracted and placed in a separate scale ([[Resentful demoralization|demoralization]]).<ref>Bosch, P., Van Luijtelaar, G., Van Den Noort, M., Schenkwald, J., Kueppenbender, N., Lim, S., Egger, J., & Coenen, A. (2014). The MMPI-2 in chronic psychiatric illness. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 55, 513-519.</ref> The RC scales measure the core constructs of the original clinical scales.  Critics of the RC scales assert they have deviated too far from the original clinical scales, the implication being that previous research done on the clinical scales will not be relevant to the interpretation of the RC scales. However, researchers on the RC scales assert that the RC scales predict pathology in their designated areas better than their concordant original clinical scales while using significantly fewer items and maintaining equal to higher internal consistency, reliability and validity; further, unlike the original clinical scales, the RC scales are not saturated with the primary factor (demoralization, now captured in RCdem) which frequently produced diffuse elevations and made interpretation of results difficult; finally, the RC scales have lower interscale correlations and, in contrast to the original clinical scales, contain no interscale item overlap.<ref>Tellegen, A., Ben-Porath, Y. S., Sellbom, M., Arbisi, P. A., McNulty, J. L., & Graham, J. R. (2006). Further evidence on the validity of the MMPI-2 Restructured Clinical (RC) Scales: Addressing questions raised by Rogers et al. and Nichols. Journal of Personality Assessment, 87, 148-171.</ref> The effects of removal of the common variance spread across the older clinical scales due to a general factor common to psychopathology, through use of sophisticated psychometric methods, was described as a [[paradigm shift]] in personality assessment.<ref>Rogers, R., Sewell, K. W., Harrison, K. S., & Jordan, M. J. (2006). The MMPI-2 Restructured Clinical Scales: A paradigmatic shift in scale development. Journal of Personality Assessment, 87, 139-147.</ref><ref>Archer, R. P. (2006). A perspective on the Restructured Clinical (RC) Scale project. Journal of Personality Assessment, 87, 179-185.</ref> Critics of the new scales argue that the removal of this common variance makes the RC scales less ecologically valid (less like real life) because real patients tend to present complex patterns of symptoms.{{citation needed|date=September 2016}} Proponents of the MMPI-2-RF argue that this potential problem is addressed by being able to view elevations on other RC scales that are less saturated with the general factor and, therefore, are also more transparent and much easier to interpret.{{citation needed|date=September 2016}}

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Scale !! Abbreviation !! Name !! Description
|-
| RCd || dem || Demoralization || A general measure of distress that is linked with anxiety, depression, helplessness, hopelessness, low self-esteem, and a sense of inefficacy<ref name="Ben-Porath, 2012, p. 39-96">{{cite book|last1=Ben-Porath|first1=Yossef|title=Interpreting the MMPI-2-RF|date=2012|publisher=U of Minnesota Press|location=Minneapolis|pages=39–96|chapter=Transitioning to the MMPI-2-RF: The Restructured Clinical (RC) Scales}}</ref>
|-
| RC1 || som || Somatic Complaints || Measures an individual's tendency to medically unexplainable physical symptoms<ref name="Ben-Porath, 2012, p. 39-96" />
|-
| RC2 || lpe || Low Positive Emotions || Measures features of anhedonia – a common feature of depression<ref name="Ben-Porath, 2012, p. 39-96" />
|-
| RC3 || cyn || Cynicism || Measures a negative or overly-critical worldview that is associated with an increased likelihood of impaired interpersonal relationships, hostility, anger, low trust, and workplace misconduct<ref name="Ben-Porath, 2012, p. 39-96" />
|-
| RC4 || asb || Antisocial Behavior || Measures the acting out and social deviance features of antisocial personality such as rule breaking, irresponsibility, failure to conform to social norms, deceit, and impulsivity that often manifests in aggression and substance abuse<ref name="Ben-Porath, 2012, p. 39-96" />
|-
| RC6 || per || Ideas of Persecution || Measures a tendency to develop paranoid delusions, persecutory beliefs, interpersonal suspiciousness and alienation, and mistrust<ref name="Ben-Porath, 2012, p. 39-96" />
|-
| RC7 || dne || Dysfunctional Negative Emotions || Measures a tendency to worry/be fearful, be anxious, feel victimized and resentful, and appraise situations generally in ways that foster negative emotions<ref name="Ben-Porath, 2012, p. 39-96" />
|-
| RC8 || abx || Aberrant Experiences || Measures risk for psychosis, unusual thinking and perception, and risk for non-persecutory symptoms of thought disorders<ref name="Ben-Porath, 2012, p. 39-96" />
|-
| RC9 || hpm || Hypomanic Activation || Measures features of mania such as aggression and excitability<ref name="Ben-Porath, 2012, p. 39-96" />
|}

=== Validity scales===

The [[validity scale]]s in all versions of the MMPI-2 (MMPI-2 and RF) contain three basic types of validity measures: those that were designed to detect non-responding or inconsistent responding (CNS, VRIN, TRIN), those designed to detect when clients are over reporting or exaggerating the prevalence or severity of psychological symptoms (F, F{{sub|B}}, F{{sub|P}}, FBS), and those designed to detect when test-takers are under-reporting or downplaying psychological symptoms (L, K, S). A new addition to the validity scales for the MMPI-2-RF includes an over reporting scale of somatic symptoms (F{{sub|S}}) as well as revised versions of the validity scales of the MMPI-2 (VRIN-r, TRIN-r, F-r, F{{sub|P}}-r, FBS-r, L-r, and K-r).  The MMPI-2-RF does not include the S or F{{sub|B}} scales, and the F-r scale now covers the entirety of the test.<ref>Graham, J.R. (2011). ''MMPI-2: Assessing Personality and Psychopathology''. Oxford.</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Abbreviation
! New in version
! Name
! Description<ref>{{cite web |title=Interpretation of MMPI-2 validity scales |url=https://www.upress.umn.edu/test-division/mtdda/webdocs/mmpi-2-training-slides/interpretation-of-mmpi-2-validity-scales |website=University of Minnesota Press |date=2015 }}</ref>
|-
| CNS
| 1
| "Cannot Say"
| Questions not answered (left blank or both True and False)
|-
| L
| 1
| "Lie" / Uncommon Virtues
| Intentional under-reporting of symptoms
|-
| F
| 1
| Infrequency
| Over-reporting symptoms (in first half of test)
|-
| K
| 1
| Defensiveness
| Unintentional under-reporting of symptoms (e.g. defensiveness, denial)
|-
| F{{sub|b}}
| 2
| F Back
| Over-reporting symptoms (in last half of test)
|-
| VRIN
| 2
| Variable Response Inconsistency
| Answering similar/opposite question pairs inconsistently
|-
| TRIN
| 2
| True Response Inconsistency
| Answering questions all true/all false
|-
| F-K
| 2
| F minus K
| Honesty of test responses/not faking good or bad
|-
| S
| 2
| Superlative Self-Presentation
| Improving upon K scale, "appearing excessively good"
|-
| F{{sub|p}}
| 2
| F-psychopathology
| Over-reporting symptoms in individuals with psychopathology
|-
| FBS
| 2 
| "Faking Bad Scale" / Symptom Validity
| Over-reporting somatic or cognitive symptoms in disability/personal injury claimants
|-
| RBS
| 2
| Response Bias Scale
| Exaggerated memory complaints in forensic settings or disability claims<ref>{{cite journal |date=2007 |title=Development and validation of a Response Bias Scale (RBS) for the MMPI-2 |pmid=17504891 |doi=10.1177/1073191106295861|last1=Gervais |first1=Roger O. |last2=Ben-Porath |first2=Yossef S. |last3=Wygant |first3=Dustin B. |last4=Green |first4=Paul |journal=Assessment |volume=14 |issue=2 |pages=196–208 |s2cid=28633965 }}</ref>
|-
| F{{sub|s}}
| 2-RF
| Infrequent Somatic Response
| Overreporting of somatic symptoms
|-
| CRIN
| 3
| Combined Response Inconsistency
| Combination of random and fixed inconsistent responding<ref name="MMPI-3 Scales">{{cite web |title=MMPI-3 Scales |url=https://www.upress.umn.edu/test-division/MMPI-3/mmpi-3-scales |website=University of Minnesota Press}}</ref> 
|}

===Content scales===

Although elevations on the clinical scales are significant indicators of certain psychological conditions, it is difficult to determine exactly what specific behaviors the high scores are related to. The content scales of the MMPI-2 were developed for the purpose of increasing the incremental validity of the clinical scales.<ref name="University of Minnesota Press">{{cite book|last1=Butcher|first1=J|last2=Graham|first2=J|last3=Williams|first3=C|last4=Ben-Porath|first4=Y|title=Development and use of the MMPI-2 content scales|date=1990|publisher=University of Minnesota Press|location=Minneapolis}}</ref> The content scales contain items intended to provide insight into specific types of symptoms and areas of functioning that the clinical scales do not measure, and are supposed to be used in addition to the clinical scales to interpret profiles. They were developed by Butcher, Graham, Williams and Ben-Porath using similar rational and statistical procedures as Wiggins who developed the original MMPI content scales.<ref name="University of Minnesota Press"/><ref>{{cite book|last1=Hathaway|first1=S|last2=McKinley|first2=J|last3=MMPI Restandardization Committee|title=MMPI-2: Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2: manual for administration and scoring.|date=1989|publisher=University of Minnesota Press.|location=Minneapolis}}</ref>

The items on the content scales contain obvious content and therefore are susceptible to response bias – exaggeration or denial of symptoms, and should be interpreted with caution. T scores greater than 65 on any content scale are considered high scores.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Graham|first1=John|title=MMPI-2: Assessing personality and psychopathology|url=https://archive.org/details/mmpi200grah|url-access=registration|date=1990|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=New York|isbn=978-0-19-506068-3}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! '''Abbr.''' !! Name<ref name="MMPI-2 Scales">{{cite web |title=MMPI-2 Scales |url=https://www.upress.umn.edu/test-division/mmpi-2/mmpi-2-scales |website=University of Minnesota Press}}</ref> !! Description{{citation needed|date=May 2020}}
|-
| '''ANX''' || Anxiety || General symptoms of anxiety, somatic problems, nervousness or worry
|-
| '''FRS''' || Fears || Specific fears and general fearfulness
|-
| '''OBS''' || Obsessiveness || Difficulty making decisions, excessive rumination and dislike change
|-
| '''DEP''' || Depression || Feelings of low mood, lack of energy, suicidal ideation and other depressive features
|-
| '''HEA''' || Health Concerns || Concerns about illness and physical symptoms
|-
| '''BIZ''' || Bizarre Mentation || The presence of psychotic thought processes
|-
| '''ANG''' || Anger || Feelings and expression of anger
|-
| '''CYN''' || Cynicism || Distrust and suspiciousness of other people and their motives
|-
| '''ASP''' || Antisocial Practices || Expression of nonconforming attitudes and possible issues with authority
|-
| '''TPA''' || ''[[Type A and Type B personality theory|Type A]]'' Behavior || Irritability, impatience and competitiveness
|-
| '''LSE''' || Low Self Esteem || Negative attitudes about self, own ability and submissiveness
|-
| '''SOD''' || Social Discomfort || Preferring to be alone and discomfort when meeting new people
|-
| '''FAM'''|| Family Problems || Resentment, anger and perceived lack of support from family members
|-
| '''WRK''' || Work Interference || Attitudes that contribute to poor work performance
|-
| '''TRT''' || Negative Treatment Indicators || Feelings of pessimism and unwillingness to reveal personal information to others
|-
|}

====Content component scales====
The MMPI-2 and MMPI-A included subscales for some of the content scales to further specify the results. For example, ''Depression (DEP)'' was broken down into ''Lack of drive (DEP{{sub|1}})'', ''Dysphoria (DEP{{sub|2}})'', ''Self-depreciation (DEP{{sub|3}})'' and ''Suicidal ideation (DEP{{sub|4}})''.<ref>{{cite web |title=MMPI-2 scales |website=University of Minnesota Press |url=https://www.upress.umn.edu/test-division/mmpi-2/mmpi-2-scales}}</ref>

=== Supplemental scales ===

To supplement these multidimensional scales and to assist in interpreting the frequently seen diffuse elevations due to the general factor (removed in the RC scales),<ref>Tellegen, A., Ben-Porath, Y.S., McNulty, J.L., Arbisi, P.A., Graham, J.R., & Kaemmer, B. (2003).  ''The MMPI-2 Restructured Clinical Scales:  Development, validation, and interpretation''.  Minneapolis, MN2. ''An MMPI handbook: Vol. I. Clinical interpretation''. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.</ref><ref>Caldwell, A. B. (1988). ''MMPI supplemental scale manual''. Los Angeles: Caldwell Report.</ref> the supplemental scales were also developed, with the more frequently used being the substance abuse scales (MAC-R, APS, AAS), designed to assess the extent to which a client admits to or is prone to [[substance abuse|abusing substances]], and the A (anxiety) and R (repression) scales, developed by Welsh after conducting a [[factor analysis]] of the original MMPI item pool.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Abbr.
! Name<ref name="MMPI-2 Scales"/>
! Description<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.upress.umn.edu/test-division/mtdda/webdocs/mmpi-2-training-slides/interpretation-of-mmpi-2-content-supplementary-and-psy-5-scales |title=Interpretation of MMPI-2 Content, Supplementary, and PSY-5 Scales |website=University of Minnesota Press |year=2015}}</ref>
|-
! colspan=3 | Broad personality characteristics
|-
| A
| Anxiety
| General maladjustment; symptoms of anxiety, depression, somatic complaints
|-
| R
| Repression
| Internalizing, introverted, careful and cautious lifestyle
|-
| Es
| Ego Strength
| General adjustment, resources for coping; better treatment prognosis
|-
| Do
| Dominance
| Perception of strength in self and others; self-confident; not readily intimidated
|- 
| Re
| Social Responsibility
| Accepts consequences of behavior; responsibility to social group; dependable and trustworthy
|-
! colspan=3 | Generalized emotional distress
|-
| Mt
| College Maladjustment
| Ineffective, anxious, pessimistic; developed for (but not specific to) college students
|-
| PK
| Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - Keane{{efn|{{cite journal |vauthors=Keane TM, Malloy PF, Fairbank JA |year=1984 |title=Empirical development of an MMPI subscale for the assessment of combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder |journal=Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology |volume=52 |issue=5 |pages=888–891 |doi=10.1037/0022-006x.52.5.888 |pmid=6501674}}}}
| Intense emotional distress, anxiety, sleep disturbance; developed for (but not specific to) veterans
|-
| MDS
| Marital Distress
| Dyssatisfaction with marriage or romantic relationship
|-
! colspan=3 | Behavioral dyscontrol
|-
| Ho
| Hostility
| General maladjustment; angry, hostile, cynical, suspicious; increased risk of health problems
|-
| O-H
| Over-controlled Hostility
| Occasionally hostile, angry; intensity follows the amount of provocation
|-
| MAC-R
| MacAndrew{{efn|MacAndrew Addiction Scale; {{cite journal |vauthors=MacAndrew C |year=1965 |title=The differentiation of male alcoholic outpatients from non-alcoholic psychiatric outpatients by means of the MMPI |journal=Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol |volume=26 |issue=2 |pages=238–246 |doi=10.15288/qjsa.1965.26.238 |pmid=14320345}}}}-Revised
| Risk-taking, sensation-seeking; extroverted, exhibitionistic; risk of substance abuse; limited use for women
|-
| AAS
| Addiction Admission
| Acknowledges substance abuse, history of acting out
|-
| APS
| Addiction Potential
| Possible substance abuse problems, possible anti-social behavior
|-
! colspan=3 | Gender role
|-
| GM
| Gender Role - Masculine
| Stereotypical masculine interests and activities; denial of fears and anxieties; self-confidence
|-
| GF
| Gender Role - Feminine
| Stereotypical feminine interests and activities; denial of antisocial behavior; excessively sensitive
|}

=== PSY-5 (Personality Psychopathology Five) scales ===

The PSY-5 is set of scales measuring dimensional traits of personality disorders, originally developed from factor analysis of the personality disorder content of the ''Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders''.<ref name="Harkness 1995">Harkness, A. R., McNulty, J. L., & Ben-Porath, Y. S. (1995). The Personality Psychopathology Five (PSY-5): Constructs and MMPI-2 scales. ''Psychological Assessment, 7'', 104.</ref> Originally, these scales were titled: Aggressiveness, Psychoticism, Constraint, Negative Emotionality/Neuroticism, and Positive Emotionality/Extraversion;<ref name="Harkness 1995" /> however, in the most current edition of the MMPI-2 and MMPI-2-RF, the Constraint and Positive Emotionality scales have been reversed and renamed as Disconstraint and Introversion / Low Positive Emotionality.<ref name="UPress: MMPI-2 Scales">{{cite web|title=MMPI-2 Scales|url=http://www.upress.umn.edu/test-division/mmpi-2/mmpi-2-scales|website=University of Minnesota Press|access-date=24 April 2015}}</ref>

Across several large samples including clinical, college, and normative populations, the MMPI-2 PSY-5 scales showed moderate internal consistency and intercorrelations comparable with the domain scales on the NEO-PI-R Big Five personality measure.<ref name="Harkness 1995"/> Also, scores on the MMPI-2 PSY-5 scales appear to be similar across genders,<ref name="Harkness 1995"/> and the structure of the PSY-5 has been reproduced in a Dutch psychiatric sample.<ref>Egger, J. I., De Mey, H. R., Derksen, J. J., & van der Staak, C. P. (2003). Cross-cultural replication of the five-factor model and comparison of the NEO-PI-R and MMPI-2 PSY-5 scales in a Dutch psychiatric sample. ''Psychological Assessment, 15'', 81.</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Abbr. !! Scale Name !! Description
|-
| AGGR || Aggressiveness || Measures an individual's tendency towards overt and instrumental aggression that typically includes a sense of grandiosity and a desire for power<ref name="Harkness 1995"/> 
|-
| PSYC || Psychoticism || Measures the accuracy of an individual's inner representation of objective reality,<ref name="Interpreting the MMPI-2-RF">{{cite book|last1=Ben-Porath|first1=Yossef|title=Interpreting the MMPI-2-RF|date=2012|publisher=U of Minnesota Press|pages=126–129}}</ref> often associated with ''perceptual aberration'' and ''magical ideation''<ref name="Harkness 1995"/> 
|-
| DISC || Disconstraint || Measures an individual's level of control over their own impulses, physical risk aversion, and traditionalism<ref name="Harkness 1995"/> 
|-
| NEGE || Negative Emotionality / Neuroticism || Measures an individual's tendency to experience negative emotions, particularly anxiety and worry<ref name="Harkness 1995"/> 
|-
| INTR || Introversion/Low Positive Emotionality || Measures an individual's tendency to experience positive emotions and have enjoyment from social experiences<ref name="Harkness 1995"/>
|}

=== MMPI-A-RF ===
The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory – Adolescent – Restructured Form (MMPI-A-RF) is a broad-band instrument used to psychologically evaluate adolescents.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Handel|first=Richard W.|date=2016-12-01|title=An Introduction to the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Adolescent-Restructured Form (MMPI-A-RF)|journal=Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings|language=en|volume=23|issue=4|pages=361–373|doi=10.1007/s10880-016-9475-6|pmid=27752979|s2cid=4196007|issn=1068-9583}}</ref> It was published in 2016 and was primarily authored by Robert P. Archer, Richard W. Handel, Yossef S. Ben-Porath, and Auke Tellegen. It is a revised version of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory – Adolescent (MMPI-A). Like the MMPI-A, this version is intended for use with adolescents aged 14–18 years old. It consists of 241 true-false items which produce scores on 48 scales: 6 Validity scales (VRIN-r, TRIN-r, CRIN, F-r, L-r, K-r), 3 Higher-Order scales (EID, THD, BXD), 9 Restructured Clinical scales (RCd, RC1, RC2, RC3, RC4, RC6, RC7, RC8, RC9), 25 Specific Problem scales, and revised versions of the MMPI-A PSY-5 scales (AGGR-r, PSYC-r, DISC-r, NEGE-r, INTR-r).<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|title=Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory - Adolescent Restructured Form: Administration, Scoring, Interpretation, and Technical Manual|last1=Archer|first1=Robert|last2=Handel|first2=Richard|last3=Ben-Porath|first3=Yossef|last4=Tellegen|first4=Auke|publisher=University of Minnesota Press|year=2016|location=Minneapolis, MN|pages=15–25}}</ref> It also features 14 critical items, including 7 regarding depressing and suicidal ideation.<ref name=":1" />

The MMPI-A-RF was designed to address limitations of its predecessor, such as the scale heterogeneity and item overlap of the original clinical scales. The weaknesses of the clinical scales resulted in intercorrelations of several MMPI-A scales and limited discriminant validity of the scales. To address the issues with the clinical scales, the MMPI-A underwent a revision similar to the restructuring of the MMPI-2 to the MMPI-2-RF. Specifically, a demoralization scale was developed, and each clinical scale underwent exploratory factor analysis to identify its distinctive components.<ref name=":1" />

Additionally, the Specific Problems (SP) scales were developed. Whereas the RC scales provide a broad overview of psychological problems (e.g., low positive emotions or symptoms of depression; antisocial behavior; bizarre thoughts), the SP scales offered narrow, focused descriptions of the problems the individual reported he or she was experiencing. The MMPI-2-RF SP Scales were used as a template. First, corresponding items from the MMPI-2-RF were identified in the MMPI-A, and then 58 items unique to the MMPI-A were added to the item pool. This way, the MMPI-A-RF SP scales could maintain continuity with the MMPI-2-RF but in addition address issues specific to adolescent problems. After a preliminary set of SP scales were developed based on their content, each scale went through statistical tests (factor analysis) to ensure they did not overlap or relate too strongly to the RC demoralization scale.<ref name="Archer, R. P. 2016 PI">Archer, R. P., Handel, R. W., Ben-Porath, Y. S., & Tellegen, A. (2016). MMPI-A-RF: Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Adolescent-Restructured Form: Administration, Scoring, Interpretation, and Technical Manual. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.</ref>   Additional statistical analyses were put in place to make sure each SP scale contained items that were strongly related (correlated) with its scale and less strongly associated with other scales; in the end, each item appeared on only one SP scale. These scales were developed to provide additional information in association with the RC scales, but SP scales are not subscales and can be interpreted even when the related RC scale is not elevated.<ref name="Archer, R. P. 2016 PI"/> 
   
As noted above, 25 SP scales were developed. Of these, 19 have the same names as the corresponding MMPI-2-RF SP scales, although the specific items that construct SP scales vary per form. The following 5 scales were unique to the MMPI-A-RF: Obsessions/Compulsions (OCS), Antisocial Attitudes (ASA), Conduct Problems (CNP), Negative Peer Influence (NPI), and Specific Fears (SPF).
 
The SP scales were organized into four groupings: Somatic/Cognitive, Internalizing, Externalizing, and Interpersonal Scales. The Somatic/Cognitive scales (MLS, GIC, HPC, NUC, and COG) share their names with the SP scales on the MMPI-2-RF, are related to RC1, and focus on aspects of physical health and functioning. There are nine Internalizing scales. The first three (HLP, SFD, and NFC) are related to aspects of demoralization, or the general sense of unhappiness, and the remaining scales (OCS, STW, AXY, ANP, BRF, SPF) assess for Dysfunctional Negative Emotions (e.g., a tendency toward worry, fearfulness, and anxiety). Six Externalizing scales (NSA, ASA, CNP, SUB, NPI, and AGG) are related to antisocial behavior, and the need for excitement and stimulating activity (i.e., hypomanic activation). Finally, Interpersonal scales (FML, IPP, SAV, SHY, and DSF), while not related to particular RC scales, focus on aspects of social and relational functioning with family and peers.<ref>Archer, R. P. (2016). Assessing Adolescent Psychopathology: MMPI-A/MMPI-A-RF. New York: Routledge.</ref>

Additionally, the 478-item length of the MMPI-A was identified as a challenge to adolescent attention span and concentration. To address this, the MMPI-A-RF has less than half the items of the MMPI-A.<ref name=":1" />

===Higher-Order scales===
''Higher-Order (H-O) Scales'' were introduced with the MMPI-2-RF and they are identical in the MMPI-A-RF and the MMPI-3. Their function is to assess problems of three general areas of functioning: affective, cognitive (thought) and behavioral.<ref>{{cite AV media |people=Yossef S. Ben-Porath |publisher=[[Pearson Education|Pearson Assessments US]] |title=MMPI-3 Higher-Order Scales |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nDOKT3DG88}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
! Abbr. !! Name !! Description<ref name="MMPI-3 Scales"/>
|-
| EID || Emotional / Internalizing Dysfunction || Problems associated with mood and affect
|-
| THD || Thought Dysfunction || Problems associated with disordered thinking
|-
| BXD || Behavioral / Externalizing Dysfunction || Problems associated with under-controlled behavior
|}

===Specific Problems (SP) scales===
{| class="wikitable"
! Abbr. !! Name<ref name=mmpiARF_scales>{{cite web |url=https://www.upress.umn.edu/test-division/mmpi-a-rf/mmpi-a-rf-scales |title=MMPI-A-RF scales |website=University of Minnesota Press}}</ref><ref name=mmpi2RF_scales>{{cite web |url=https://www.upress.umn.edu/test-division/MMPI-2-RF/mmpi-2-rf-50-scales |title=MMPI-2-RF scales |website=University of Minnesota Press}}</ref><ref name=mmpi3_scales>{{cite web |url=https://www.upress.umn.edu/test-division/MMPI-3/mmpi-3-scales |title=MMPI-3 scales |website=University of Minnesota Press}}</ref> !! Description{{citation needed|reason=no citation for MMPI-A-RF and 2-RF|date=November 2022}} !! A-RF<ref name=mmpiARF_scales/> !! 2-RF<ref name=mmpi2RF_scales/> !! 3<ref name=mmpi3_scales/>
|-
! colspan=6 | Somatic / Cognitive
|-
| MLS || Malaise || General sense of poor physical health, weakness, and low energy || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}}
|-
| GIC || Gastrointestinal Complaints || Complaints related to nausea, upset stomach, and vomiting || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{na}}
|-
| HPC || Head Pain Complaints || Reports of headaches and difficulty concentrating || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{na}}
|-
| NUC || Neurological Complaints || Describes loss of sensation, numbness, and lack of control over movement of body parts; dizziness || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}}
|-
| EAT || Eating concerns || Problematic eating behaviors || {{na}} || {{na}} || {{ya}}
|-
| COG || Cognitive Complaints || Trouble with attention and concentrating; academic and learning difficulties || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}}
|-
! colspan=6 | Internalizing
|-
| SUI || Suicidal/Death Ideation || Direct reports of suicidal ideation and recent attempts || {{na}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}}
|-
| HLP || Helplessness/Hopelessness || General sense of pessimism and low self-esteem in handling life's difficulties || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}}
|-
| SFD || Self-Doubt || Reports feeling useless, little self-confidence and highly critical view of self || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}}
|-
| NFC || Inefficacy || Reports seeing self as incapable and useless ||  {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}}
|-
| OCS || Obsessions/Compulsions || Ruminates over unpleasant thoughts; engages in compulsive behaviors (e.g., repetitive counting) || {{ya}} || {{na}} || {{na}}
|-
| STW || Stress/Worry || Experiences symptoms related to stress (e.g., trouble sleeping, problems concentrating, nervousness) || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{na}}
|-
| STR || Stress || Problems involving stress and nervousness || {{na}} || {{na}} || {{ya}}
|-
| WRY || Worry || Excessive worry and preoccupation || {{na}} || {{na}} || {{ya}}
|-
| CMP || Compulsivity || Engaging in compulsive behaviors || {{na}} || {{na}} || {{ya}}
|-
| AXY || Anxiety || Reports experiences of dread, apprehension, and nightmares || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{na}}
|-
| ARX || Anxiety-Related Experiences || Multiple anxiety-related experiences such as catastrophizing, panic, dread, and intrusive ideation || {{na}} || {{na}} || {{ya}}
|-
| ANP || Anger Proneness || Reports tendency to feel and express anger, aggression, and irritable behaviors || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}}
|-
| BRF || Behavior-Restricting Fears || Describes fears and anxiety that get in the way of daily functioning; general fearfulness and anxiety || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}}
|-
| SPF || Specific Fears || Reports fears and phobias (e.g., fear of blood, spiders, heights, etc.) || {{ya}} || {{na}} || {{na}}
|-
| MSF || Multiple Specific Fears || Fears of blood, fire, thunder, etc. || {{na}} || {{ya}} || {{na}}
|-
! colspan=6 | Externalizing
|-
| NSA || Negative School Attitudes || Expresses dislike for school and difficulty being motivated in academic activities || {{ya}} || {{na}} || {{na}}
|-
| ASA || Antisocial Attitudes || Reports breaking rules, school problems and suspension, and engaging in oppositional behaviors || {{ya}} || {{na}} || {{na}}
|-
| CNP || Conduct Problems || Reports engaging in problematic behaviors at home and at school (e.g., problems with the law, running away from home, school suspensions) || {{ya}} || {{na}} || {{na}}
|-
| JCP || Juvenile Conduct Problems || Difficulties at school and at home, stealing || {{na}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}}
|-
| SUB || Substance Abuse || Endorses behaviors related to problematic drug and alcohol use and abuse || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}}
|-
| NPI || Negative Peer Influence || Describes associating with peers who engage in problem behaviors (e.g., substance use, rule-breaking) || {{ya}} || {{na}} || {{na}}
|-
| IMP || Impulsivity || Poor impulse control and nonplanful behavior || {{na}} || {{na}} || {{ya}}
|-
| ACT || Activation || Heightened excitation and energy level || {{na}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}}
|-
| AGG || Aggression  || Reports expressing anger physically and violently; threatening others verbally || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}}
|-
| CYN || Cynicism || Non-self-referential beliefs that others are bad and not to be trusted || {{na}} || {{na}} || {{ya}}
|-
! colspan=6 | Interpersonal
|-
| FML || Family Problems || Reports problematic family interactions and feeling unsupported; expresses a desire to leave home because of difficulties with family || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}}
|-
| IPP || Interpersonal Passivity || Expresses feeling unable to stand up for oneself; feels easy pushed around by others || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{na}}
|-
| SFI || Self-Importance || Beliefs related to having special talents and abilities || {{na}} || {{na}} || {{ya}}
|-
| DOM || Dominance || Being domineering in relationships with others || {{na}} || {{na}} || {{ya}} 
|-
| SAV || Social Avoidance || Expresses discomfort being with others; withdrawn from interactions; reports having few friends || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}}
|-
| SHY || Shyness || Reports being easily embarrassed; feels nervous interacting with others || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}}
|-
| DSF || Disaffiliativeness || Expresses a preference for being alone and avoidance of interacting with others; withdrawn and reports having few friends || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}}
|}

===Interest Scales===
The MMPI-2-RF includes two Interest Scales. The ''Aesthetic-Literary Interests (AES)'' scale rates interest in literature, music, theatre, and the likewise, and the ''Mechanical-Physical Interests (MEC)'' scale measures interest in construction and repair, and general interest in the outdoors and sports.<ref>{{cite web |title=Introducing the MMPI-2-RF |url=https://dokumen.tips/documents/introducing-the-mmpi-2-rf-introducing-the-mmpi-2-rf-dustin-b-wygant.html |author=Dustin B. Wygant |institution=Department of Psychology, Eastern Kentucky University}}</ref>