Clinical Psychology

similar or opposite content. High VRIN scores

suggest random responding to MMPI-2 items.

7. TRIN (True Response Inconsistency) Scale. This
   consists of 23 item pairs that are opposite in
   content. High TRIN scores suggest a tendency
   to give true responses indiscriminately; low
   TRIN scores suggest a tendency to give false
   responses indiscriminately.

These seven MMPI-2 validity scales provide a
means for understanding the test respondent’s moti-
vations and test-taking attitudes. For example,
attempts to present oneself in an overly favorable

light will likely be detected by the L (Lie) or K

(Defensiveness) scale (Baer & Miller, 2002; Baer,

Wetter, & Berry, 1992), whereas the tendency to

exaggerate one’s problems or symptoms usually

results in elevations on the F (Infrequency) and Fb

(Back-page Infrequency) scales (Berry, Baer, &

Harris, 1991; Rogers, Bagby, & Chakraborty,

1993; Wetter, Baer, Berry, Robison, & Sumpter,

1993; Wetter, Baer, Berry, Smith, & Larsen,

1992). Finally, the VRIN and TRIN scales are use-

ful indicators of random responding or answering

true (or false) to most items, respectively (Berry

et al., 1992; Tellegen & Ben-Porath, 1992).

instrument by using modern psychometric techniques

to develop new scales for the test.

What are the trends you see for clinical psychology?

The primary trend I see for clinical psychology is a

movement away from direct clinical service delivery.

Cost-containment pressures of managed care, coupled

with the absence of clear empirical evidence that

doctoral-level clinical psychologists are more effective

than less costly service deliverers such as master’s-level

counselors and social workers will likely result in fewer

clinical psychologists’working as full-time therapists in

either community agencies or private practices. Instead,

clinical psychologists will be called upon increasingly to

apply their training and expertise in research to assist in

program development and evaluation. Specifically, clin-

ical psychologists will become involved in developing

methods to identify treatment needs and to evaluate

treatment progress and outcome at the agencies or

organizations that employ them. In addition, clinical

psychologists will likely become increasingly involved in

forensic practice that requires the highest possible level

of training and expertise.

What are some future trends you see in MMPI

research?

The most exciting trend I foresee for MMPI-2 research

and application is the increasing incorporation of

computer technology in administration, scoring, and

interpretation of the test. Presently, computer soft-

ware exists to accomplish all three of these tasks.

However, most testing with the MMPI instruments is

still conducted by paper and pencil and most interpre-

tation is done by individual clinical psychologists. When

a computer is used to administer the test, it serves as a

proxy for the conventional test booklet. In the future,

the MMPI instruments will be administered adaptively

in a manner that reduces the number of items to

those that are necessary to answer specific assessment

questions posed by the psychologist. Computers will

become essential in interpretation because of the

ever-increasing volume of data that must be con-

sidered in generating an empirically based test

interpretation.

Yossef S. Ben-Porath

Dr. Yossef S. Ben-Porath, Psych Prof @ Kent State Univ.

PERSONALITY ASSESSMENT 227