Test construction techniques

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Test construction techniques

• Classical Test theory
• Theoretical vs. empirical questions
• Each item assumed to be equally discriminant
• Construct sum of positively scored items
• Goal minimum number of items to be reliable and
  valid
• Item Response Theory
• Most discriminant items used first
• Subsequent items simply narrow score
• Creates more powerful, shorter tests
• GRE

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The MMPI (Hathaway and McKinley)

• Originally released in 1942
• Normed on a Minnesota hospital sample
• Quickly the most used/researched test for mental
  illness
• 1989 renorming, MMPI-2 (Butcher et al)
• Better normative group
• Updated items
• Slightly shorter (now 567 items)

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Classical Test theory

• MMPI approach is empirical
• Sometimes (although not always) low face validity
• Forced answer format
• Criticisms
• Too long
• Needs 6th grade education to read
• Has tape administration format
• May be unfair to certain cultural groups
• Over identifies mental illness

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Validity Scales

• Why would people lie?
• ?-Scale (omitted items) 10questionable,
  30forget it
• L-Scale (darn lies)
• F-Scale (Infrequency)
• Malingering
• People with mental illness do malinger
• Why?
• K-Scale (Defensive/self-deceptive)
• Can elevate in healthy people
• Correcting for K

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Other validity scales

• These are not used as often
• Fb (F-back of test), looks at infrequency items
  in latter half of test, to see if person stopped
  paying attention.
• Good F, bad Fb feel asleep
• VRIN Variable response indicator
• Compares similar questions
• Christmastreeing
• TRIN True Response Inconsistency
• Similar to above, another Christmastree scale
• Items should not be answered together unlike
  VRIN, where they should be

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Elevations

• 50 and below below normal (but thats OK)
• 50-65 generally normal range, getting toward 65
  might be slightly worth noting
• 65 abnormal
• By 80-90 symptoms considered severe
• Consult interpretation guide for specific
  interpretations

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Clinical Scales

• 1 Hypochondraisis
• Vague physical complaints, somatic symptoms
• High score neurotic focus on health
• Somatization disorder possible
• Real illness moderate elevation
• 2 Depression
• A generally good depression scale

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Clinical Scales, Part 2

• 3 Hysteria
• Indicative of a tendency to break under stress
• May involve histrionic attention seeking
• Elevations more common in intelligent high-status
  people and women in general
• 4 Psychopathic Deviate
• More of an anger/rebelliousness scale
• Elevations in Black Americans
• Real high scores may be indicative of psychopathy

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Clinical Scales Part 3

• 5 Masculinity/Femininity
• Measure conformity to gender role
• Actually does this reasonably well
• But otherwise a useless scale
• Does not identify homosexuality
• Does not predict domestic violence, etc
• 6 Paranoia
• Picks up both PPD and psychotic paranoia

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Clinical Scales Part 4

• 7 Psychasthenia
• Anxiety, OCD, excessive worry, guilt
• Better indicator of trait anxiety, can pick up
  some state anxiety
• 8 Schizophrenia
• Picks up unconventional beliefs, perceptions,
  social alienation, confusion, problems with
  self-worth.
• Often slightly higher in Black Americans, perhaps
  due to feelings of societal alienation
• Highly religious people

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Clinical Scales Part 5

• 9 hypomania
• Impulsiveness, a need to act immediately (without
  thinking)
• Indicative of a tendency to solve problems
  through action rather than thinking of long term
  consequences.
• Can be worrisome in combination with some other
  scales
• 10 Introversion
• High scorers shy, uncomfortable with people, or
  prefer to be alone. Can be problematic with
  other elevations

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The Good the Bad and the Ugly

• Some scales highly predictive
• Elevations usually mean something is up
• Tests for lying
• Well known among clinicians
• Face validity irritation (somewhat a benefit)
• Too long
• Some scales misleading (Schizophrenia)
• Some scales useless (Gender conformity)

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Profile Example 1
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Profile Example 2
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Profile Example 3
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Next Week

• Scoring
• 2-Point Codes