MMPI Codes

Question 1

1-2-3

Answer 1

Neurotic Triad

○ Patient attempting to express dysphoria into physical symptoms, but still experiences the depression

Question 2

2-8-7

Answer 2

Tense, depressed, fear of losing control over impulses

Most common in mental health clinics, suicidal thoughts

Usually a history of isolation or unusual relations.

Could be psychotic depression

Question 3

2-4

Answer 3

Reactive depression

• Most common prison profile
• Typical of alcoholics
• Poor family relationships
• Recidivism profile

Depressed, frustrated, dissatisfied, restless

Pessimistic about future and low self-esteem

Suicide evaluation necessary

Could also be a Secondary psychopath
● have more fear, anxiety, and neg emotions with more reactive anger

Question 4

2-6

Answer 4

Depressed paranoids

Feels current predicament is due to unfair tx by others

Feel victimized and quick to take offense but difficulty expressing resentment directly

Depression that is internalized–repressed hostility–hostility aimed at the self.

e.g. psychiatrists; internalize everything

Question 5

2-8

Answer 5

Schizoaffective

Depressed
Agitated
Somewhat psychotic

Question 6

2-7/7-2

Answer 6

2-7: depression
*anxious about being depressed

7-2: anxiety, neurotic
*depressed about being anxious.

Question 7

Open Depression

Answer 7

Low 1
High2
Low3

Only experiencing the depression, not able to manifest into physical complaints

Question 8

2-9

Answer 8

*Increased risk for suicidality

May be a sign of organicity (brain damage)

May also occur when manic symptoms aren’t working for the patient and everything beginning to fall apart.

Scales should be inversely related
As 2 goes up, 9 goes down and vice versa.

Question 9

Somatic Depression

Answer 9

High 1, High 3
Low 2

Converting depression into physical symptoms

Physical sensations allows for escape

Question 10

Correlations with Scale 3

Answer 10

1& 3
common psych dimension of somatization
*3 will buffer complaining and pessimism of 1
*more concrete and specific physical symptoms
*more denial and repression with 3.

Other correlations with 3:
○ high L and high K; naive but also defensive and positive about their own self-concept

Low 3 + Low 4= rule bound and obsessive about getting things done; emotional instability= need approval and deny anger.

Virtue claimer: Hysterical personality
Low 1
2 around 50
3 in 60s

Complainer: Hysterical personality
1 around 70
2 around 50 
3 around 58
some elevation in K (egocentric/self-centered)

2-3 typical of female social workers: depressed and hysterical

Question 11

“Bitch Valley”

Answer 11

High 4
Low 5
High 6

4+6 are hostility indicators and low 5 is ultra feminine

Uses femininity in a manipulative, controlling, passive aggressive way

4-5-6 elevated (Male Bitch Valley)
○ passive femininity

Question 12

4-6

Answer 12

Hostility Indicators

4 is more if you are in the way
6 is more don’t like or fear specific people

Hostile, impulsive, uncomfortable, acts out.

More dangerous if scale 3 is down. Because scale 3 people care about what people think so it’s a buffer against acting out.

Question 13

4-7/7-4

Answer 13

Secondary Psychopath: anxiety and remorse about their behavior (vs. 4-9 who does not show remorse)

Question 14

4-8/8-4

Answer 14

Very dangerous and acting out

“Schizy psychopath”

Quiet, not acting out, suddenly kill somebody

Senseless criminality

High on 8= inability to relate to other people, no empathy, inappropriate affect.

Question 15

7-2/2-7 relation to 4

Answer 15

Depressed incarcerated psychopath: Can’t do what’s wanted

Question 16

Low 3-High 4

Answer 16

Haters, grudge holders

Low 3s are organized and effective

Viciousness of high 4 and well organized acting out of low 3.

Will plan evil things

Question 17

4-9/9-4

Answer 17

Delinquent pattern
Manics, psychotics, and psychopaths

Higher 4 means more destructive and vicious
*hit and rob you

Higher 9 means more charming psychopath
*con you out of your money

Typical prison repeaters

Rarely seek help on their own

Question 18

4-5 (into 85 range on 5)

Answer 18

Correlated with homosexual acting out

Question 19

2-4-6-8 (saw-tooth profile)

Answer 19

Most dangerous profile

○ 4 tends to act out and have no empathy, 6 and 8 are the big hostility indicators

Question 20

4-6/6-4

Answer 20

Acting out of 4 is different than acting out in 6

Psychopaths not really vicious, they just see you as an obstacle, it isn’t personal.

Paranoids take things personally and add hostility–will try to punish or hurt you.

Question 21

Psychotic Valley

Answer 21

High 6
Low 7
High 8

Question 22

Neurotic Valley

Answer 22

High 1
Low 2
High 3

Question 23

5-7

Answer 23

sexual anxiety

impotence

worry about everything, including sexual performance

sexual deviance

Question 24

8-7

Answer 24

In normals, people who are inefficient, disorganized, personally dissatisfied, bright ppl who fail to maximize potential, anxious underachievers.

if 7 is higher than 8, good therapy candidate

if 8 higher than 7, probably bad therapy candidate

Question 25

6-8

Answer 25

Paranoid schizophrenic

Question 26

8-9

Answer 26

Active phase catatonic

Energetic
Delusional
Flight of ideas
Health concerns

if you disturb a catatonic long enough they will blow→ catatonic excitement→ can get some real physical danger so don’t rattle the cage

Question 27

Buffers against psychosis

Answer 27

elevations on K, 1, or 3 (and 7 to a lesser extent)

*concerned about what others think of them

Question 28

“Good Hysterics”

Answer 28

With average scale 2 and 3=~60:

Virtue Claimer
Low 1
elevated K

Somatic Complainer
High 1 > 70

Question 29

9-6 / 6-9

Answer 29

Both must be 70+

This isn’t just a psychopath, this is a manicky paranoid