MCMI scales

Schizoid

Social detachment and withdrawal. Lack of sexual interest. Aloof, detached, emotionally bland, require little warmth. Avoidance of relationships, preference for being alone. Emotional suppression, introverted behaviors, feelings of emptiness. May develop anxiety or psychosis if social interaction is unavoidable. Schizoid traits present, can be associated with other disorders (EX PTSD).

Avoidant

Anticipates rejection in most social situations. Avoids social situations. Insecurity. Social sensitivity. Anxiousness in social situations. Feelings of worthlessness, anhedonia, self-blame, expectations of criticism. Associated with variety of psychiatric disorders.

Melancholic

Experience pain as a permanent state. Feel that pleasure is no longer possible. Feelings of emptiness and worthlessness. Pessimistic, disheartened. Recurrent sadness, moodiness. Feelings of failure. May be shaped by disconsolate family, hopeless prospects, barren environment.

Dependent

Lack of initiative and autonomy. Look to others for nurturance, security, and wait passively for others’ leadership. Fears abandonment, rejection. Self-blame, inadequacy, worthlessness, insecurity. Moderate scores likely indicate some dependency that is not pathological (inflexible). May be interpreted as communality orientation, cooperative, accommodating others’ needs. Low scores indicate little desire for communality and lack of seeking of nurturance or approval from others. May view deference as unneeded.

Histrionic

Clever, artful social behavior appears to be inner confidence and self-assurance. Ease of social engagement, social facility, need for excitement. Fear of genuine autonomy, need for repeated signs of acceptance and near-constant approval. Factor scores associated with extroversion and negatively correlated with pathology. Scale score positively correlated with measures of psychological wellbeing and negatively correlated with pathology. Moderate scores- social interest, friendliness, high energy. Low scores- lack social orientation, may lack skills to navigate complex social environments.

Turbulent

Cheerfully buoyant and animated. May irritate others with persistent high-spirited behavior, intrusiveness, mercurial temperament. Passionate and enterprising but readily bored. Lack completion of goals and plans. May lead to depressive exhaustion. Unpredictable behavior, scattered thinking, impetuous mood and action. Outbursts of momentary anger, fearful anxiety.

Narcissitic

Egoistic self-involvement, entitlement, grandiosity, snobbishness, and pretentious superiority. Need for attention and praise. Independence, comfort in social situations, exploit others for own gain, may be healthy style or a personality disorder. Tends to be positively correlated with extroversion measures and measures of mental health. Elevations in clinical samples are rare. However, also correlates with pathological narcissism measures. Moderate scores- self-esteem and worth. Low scores- may be humble, but also may possess low self-confidence, does not want to draw attention to self, and likely does not draw esteem from daily accomplishments.

Antisocial

skeptical of others. Desire autonomy. With for revenge and recompense for perceived past injustices. Expect pain and depredation by others. Irresponsible and impulsive but believe this is justified. View others as unreliable and disloyal. Insensitive and ruthless to avoid abuse and victimization. Moderate scores indicate tendency for perseverance and willingness to assert value of beliefs when challenged. Ignoring right and wrong.

• Telling lies to take advantage of others.

• Not being sensitive to or respectful of others.

• Using charm or wit to manipulate others for personal gain or pleasure.

• Having a sense of superiority and being extremely opinionated. Low scores may indicate interpersonal sensitivity, passivity, and submissiveness. Low scores may indicate interpersonal sensitivity, passivity, and submissiveness.

Sadistic

personal pleasure and satisfaction from humiliating others, isolating their rights and feelings. Hostile, combative. Contentious and abusive. Dominating, antagonistic, frequently persecutory. Moderate scores may indicate tendency for perseverance and willingness to assert value or beliefs when challenged. Low scores may indicate interpersonal sensitivity, passivity, and submissiveness.

Compulsive

Prudent, controlled, perfectionistic. Suppress resentment, place high demands on self and others. Conflict between hostility toward others and fear social disapproval. Disciplined self-restraint serves to control intense but hidden oppositional feelings. Results in overt passivity and seeming public compliance. Moderate scores indicate concern for following rules, respecting authority, and ability to control affective expression. Low scores indicate low values on rules and pleasing authority. Not detail oriented, may have trouble adhering to schedules, and may be indifferent to neatness of self or environment. May have problems organizing life.

Negativistic

experience endless disappointments. Vacillate between deference and defiance, obedience and aggressive opposition. Inability to resolve conflicts similar to those of compulsive. However, conflicts of negativistic individuals persist and linger. Erratic pattern of explosive anger or stubbornness intermingled with guilt and shame.

Masochistic

Obsequious, self-sacrificing, submissive. Feel they deserve to be shamed and humbled. Allow and perhaps encourage others to exploit and take advantage of them. May experience pain and anguish as comforting. Actively and repetitively recall past misfortune; expect problematic outcomes from fortunate circumstance. May have history of abuse and victimization.

schizotypal

Cognitive disorganization (confused, tangential). Flat or restricted affect. Ideas of influence. Social detachment and discomfort. Preference for social isolation, may be self-absorbed. Dependent behaviors. Self-consciousness. When elevated, check for psychosis and/or schizophrenia.

Borderline

Unstable, erratic mood. Anger, guilt. Acting out and impulsive behaviors (self-injury and suicidal gestures). Dependency, excessive nurturance seeking, separation anxiety. Lack clear sense of self and seeks frequent reassurance. Unstable relations. May be elevated for erratic emotionality associated with range of psychiatric disorders.

Paranoid

Ideas of control and influence. Hypervigilant sensitivity. Annoyance with others. Interpersonal abrasiveness and belligerence. Delusional beliefs (persecution, reference). Grandiosity. Defensiveness. May not be related to paranoia. Check drug dependence, elevations may reflect concerns regarding violations of laws or paranoia.

Generalized anxiety

physiological arousal. Unable to relax, edgy. Restless, tense. Anxious, apprehensive. Indecisive. Elevated in a number of disorders (anxious and otherwise), reflecting emotional distress. May elevate when depression is elevated.

somatic symptom

vague bodily complaints of chronic pain. Apprehension, indecisiveness. Fatigue, crying, complaining. Persistent pursuit of medical care. Experiences stress somatically. May be elevated in those with bona fide medical problems, but psychological distress may be exacerbating experience of physical symptoms.

Bipolar spectrum

labile emotions, frequent mood swings, delusions (grandiose) and hallucinations with high scores. Also assesses flight of ideas, excessive energy, impulsivity, overactivity. May elevate with substance intoxication.

Persistent depression

carry on activities despite depression, apathy, discouragement, lack of energy, crying, guilt, self-deprecatory cognitions, worthlessness.

Alcohol use

use direct and indirect items. Reports history or current problems with excessive drinking. Assess impulsivity, selfishness, eschewing social standards, aggressiveness towards family members. May elevate if clients only select indirect items and does not have alcohol problems.

Drug use

Uses direct and indirect items. Reports history or current problems with drug use. Indirect items include eschewing of social standards, antisocial practices, irresponsibility, and rationalization supporting drug use. May not detect drug use problems in savvy test-takers.

Post-traumatic stress

painful memories. Nightmares, intrusive thoughts, flashbacks. Trauma experiences. Emotional numbing. Startle responses. Physiological distress. High scores and no trauma suggest emotional turmoil.

Schizophrenic spectrum

Incongruous, disorganized, or regressive behavior. Fragmented or bizarre thinking. Inappropriate affect, scattered hallucinations, unsystematic delusions. Pervasive sense of being isolated from or misunderstood by others. Withdrawn, reclusive, or secretive behavior.

Major depression

Difficulty functioning in normal environment. Pessimistic outlook of future. Pervasive hopeless resignation. Repetitive fearfulness and brooding. May have marked psychomotor impairment may display agitated quality, bemoaning sorry state. May have insomnia, fatigue, weight loss or weight gain. Check for suicidal ideation.

Delusional

Frequently considered acutely paranoid. May be periodically belligerent, voicing irrational but interconnected delusions of jealous, persecutory, or grandiose nature. Disturbed thinking and ideas of reference. Suspicious of others; vigilant for possible betrayal. Hostile; may feel picked on or mistreated by others.