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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Dinah on December 6, 2001, at 8:36:37
I recently went in for personality testing to answer the question "Why on earth do I do the things I do?". I had the Rorschach, the MMPI, and the Myers Briggs. The Myers Briggs seemed to be slightly more accurate than astrology (I should add that I am pretty evenly divided in all areas except introverted). The Rorshach had some valid points but I found some of the conclusions to be a stretch. But the MMPI nailed me perfectly. I was a 2-7-8 which described me far better than any of the DSM-IV personality diagnoses. I guess it didn't tell me anything I didn't know, but it put it together in a way that clarified it for me.
By the way, I drove the psychologist crazy. She was a very "positive" person who didn't want to put anything in my summary report that might make me feel bad about myself. I of course noticed this (as my therapist ruefully thought I might). I pressed her for more details and finally got the 2-7-8 results, but she insisted that she wasn't allowed to give me more information than that. Since I had happened to read the code of ethics about testing I knew that wasn't quite true, so in true obsessional style I set out on a quest to find out my scores like a crusader on the quest for the Holy Grail. I ended up using textbooks to totally reconstruct the test - all 500+ questions, along with scoring protocols. Then I was able to determine my actual scores. I guess that effort might tell me more about my personality than all the personality testing in the world. The psychologist and my therapist were quite taken aback, and both expressed the wish that I would use my perseverence and ingenuity to better purpose. In fact the psychologist seemed quite concerned at my obsessiveness while my therapist laughed and said "But that's what you do!" So my efforts were not in vain, since I guess the true purpose was to annoy the psychologist. At least I'm creative when I express hostility.
Posted by mair on December 7, 2001, at 6:52:54
In reply to Has anyone taken the MMPI?, posted by Dinah on December 6, 2001, at 8:36:37
Dinah - why did you have the testing done to begin with?
Mair
Posted by Dinah on December 7, 2001, at 8:13:43
In reply to Re: Has anyone taken the MMPI? » Dinah, posted by mair on December 7, 2001, at 6:52:54
Hi Mair,
I had always wanted to have it done in the hopes of getting an explanation for some of my behaviors (such as cutting) that seemed totally inexplicable to my thinking self. It didn't really help in that respect.
When I accidentally ran across the rules for disclosing scores, it said in effect that it was OK to do unless the patient couldn't handle the information. I guess it irritated the h*ll out of me that I could ask for testing, pay for the service, but wasn't considered competent to hear the results. It was even worse because she didn't tell me the truth. I hate being lied to.
In her defense, I should add that she knew I had recently learned of my adolescent psychological testing that concluded I was borderline psychotic (I was extremely depressed as an adolescent), and that I was upset about that. But I explained that I understood the meaning of the scales and wouldn't be upset. And really, my elevations weren't that high anyway.
All in all, I'm not sorry it happened. The test is fascinating. It led to a pleasurable "enthusiasm" in learning all about it. I learned far more by figuring it out myself than I would have by just seeing the scores. And it really isn't in me to blindly accept conclusions about my personality without understanding the rationale behind them anyway.
Sorry, I babbled way too long. It's just good to vent about something that was obviously still annoying me.
Posted by mair on December 7, 2001, at 9:29:04
In reply to Re: Has anyone taken the MMPI? » mair, posted by Dinah on December 7, 2001, at 8:13:43
Dinah - what is the test supposed to reveal, a particular diagnosis or a personality type? What do the scores mean - not yours specifically but how is the scoring done generically.
Mair
Posted by Dinah on December 7, 2001, at 10:14:37
In reply to Re: Has anyone taken the MMPI? » Dinah, posted by mair on December 7, 2001, at 9:29:04
> Dinah - what is the test supposed to reveal, a particular diagnosis or a personality type? What do the scores mean - not yours specifically but how is the scoring done generically.
>
> MairIt doesn't correspond exactly to a DSM-IV diagnosis (I think it predates DSM), although there is some statistical correlation between certain results and certain diagnoses. It measures components of personality, mainly pathological components, based on 9 (or 10 if you count introversion) scales each designed to measure certain traits. Some of the multiple choice questions are obvious, others are more subtle. The questions were chosen on the basis of a statistical relationship between the answers to a given question by a person already determined to have a certain characteristic and a control group. I'm sure I'm not explaining this well.
Your elevations both on specific scales and on groups of scales is supposed to reveal something about your personality. And elevations on the group of scales 2-7-8 means something different than merely the elevation of 2 and 7 and 8, because of the overlap of the questions. Tons of research work has been done on the MMPI because it has been around forever and over time, various subscales and supplementary scales have been developed.
Very simplistically (and perhaps not perfectly accurately) and using my own results as an example- An elevation in scale 2 indicates a depressive, pessimistic, guilt prone style. An elevation in scale 7 would indicate a ruminative, anxious, perfectionistic style. Scale 8 is a measure of alienation, idiosyncratic thinking, and a tendency to fantasize. But put together they mean something a little different, although similar to the three added together. And the description of the 2-7-8 type is far too extensive and nuanced to easily summarize. That's why I was so amazed at its accuracy. It does have some relationship to schizotypal personality style and also to OCD. It has been suggested that I have both of these.
I'll bet you are sorry you asked. :-)
Posted by NikkiT2 on December 7, 2001, at 10:31:41
In reply to Re: Has anyone taken the MMPI? » mair, posted by Dinah on December 7, 2001, at 10:14:37
I've been looking for a copy of my results (yup, she gave me a whole booklet of my results!!) but can;t find them...
I wasn't given numbers.. well, I was, but these were all epxlained in some depth so i only remember that bit. Mine came out highly for Szhizotypal (98%), and then Borderline Persoanlity Disorder (94%)... My scored were all very average, as my individual answers were all at extremes, mixed top and bottom!!!
I found it really interesting as she spent 2 hours discussing the results with me,a nd gave me a copy of everything.
Its a shame your doc was so closed about it
Nikki
Posted by Dinah on December 7, 2001, at 12:14:03
In reply to Re: Has anyone taken the MMPI?, posted by NikkiT2 on December 7, 2001, at 10:31:41
Glad to meet a fellow schizotypal! Although I think I prefer to think of myself as an eccentric. I also have more than my share of borderline traits. I've heard that the two personality styles frequently occur together. I wonder why?
Yes, it's a shame that she felt the need to be secretive. It's like waving a red flag in front of a bull to try to be evasive with a stubborn obsessive.
Posted by Simcha on December 7, 2001, at 15:14:15
In reply to Re: Has anyone taken the MMPI? » NikkiT2, posted by Dinah on December 7, 2001, at 12:14:03
I took this test and lied my way through it. It was for a vocational choice I was making at the time. Those tests are sooooo easy to fool.
Hmmm.. What does that say about my personality?
Wearrrreee Eeeentairrrresteeenck! ;-)
> Glad to meet a fellow schizotypal! Although I think I prefer to think of myself as an eccentric. I also have more than my share of borderline traits. I've heard that the two personality styles frequently occur together. I wonder why?
> Yes, it's a shame that she felt the need to be secretive. It's like waving a red flag in front of a bull to try to be evasive with a stubborn obsessive.
This is the end of the thread.
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