Culturally Competent Use of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2

Publisher Summary This chapter examines the use of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) with ethnic minorities in the United States, including Puerto Rico. It also presents case studies to illustrate the progress being made in culturally competent assessment of ethnic minorities. Discussion provides an answer to a series of questions regarding the MMPI-2 and its application to minority populations. These questions are frequently posed by both researchers and clinicians who consider using this instrument in the evaluation of minority group members. Primarily it attempts to answer questions related to the extent to which the MMPI-2 been applied to ethnic minorities. It also discusses the trends or patterns of MMPI-2 research with minorities and the types of research still need to be conducted with the MMPI-2. In addition, it discusses six case studies that illustrate culturally competent approaches to MMPI-2 use and interpretation. In order to continue progress, researchers and clinicians alike are encouraged to reexamine their standards of practice when using and interpreting standardized measures with ethnic minorities. An understanding of within- and between-group differences is necessary to provide a frame of reference for culturally competent interpretation of MMPI-2 profiles with ethnic minorities. Likewise, sociocultural and environmental factors should always be considered before psychopathology is attributed to a client on the basis of an elevated MMPI-2 scale.