MEGA Personality Assessment Midterm

NSULA Personality Assessment Midterm

what is personality (DEFINITION)

The distinct patterns of behavior, thoughts, and feelings that characterize a person’s adjustment to the demands of life

Id, Ego, Superego

ID: present at birth; instinctual drives→ hunger, sex, aggression; completely unconscious; ‘pleasure principle’

EGO: develop during 1st yr of life; balances id with reality principle

SUPEREGO: monitors ego’s decision; causes feelings of guilt and shame when standards aren’t met; embodies societal rules,ethics,moral

defense mechanisms

Freud coined the term; Anna Freud developed it

ways to reduce anxiety

are employed by ego when it feels threatened by unconscious impulses to protect conscious self

psychosexual stages

oral: gratification through oral activities; fixation→ gullibility, smoking, alcohol abuse, nail biting, excessive optimism/pessimism

Anal: gratification through contraction & relaxation of muscles that control elimination; fixation→ anal-retentive or expulsive

Phallic: phallic region, oedipus and electra complex

Latency: urges remain unconscious; only stage that doesn’t relate to sex in any way

Genital: mature stage; preferred expression of libido

The Self- according to Jung

•the unifying force of the personality, giving us direction and purpose

collective unconscious

•different archetypes that manifested in one’s dreams and are universal

•EX. A Shadow- a dark figure in some shape or form; understood in mythology

•EX. Mother Figure

•EX. Hero- superhero movies

Alfred Adler 

psychodynamic theorist 

•Believed that people are motivated by an inferiority complex and in a capacity for self-awareness 

This inferiority complex, therefore, leads to a drive for superiority.

Karen Horney

•Helped moved forward feministic psychology

•argued that little girls do not suffer penis envy→Did not agree with Freud’s Oedipus Complex, rather males have womb envy

believed that interpersonal relationships were more influential in childhood development than sexual impulses

•put forth the notion that genuine and consistent love can alleviate the effects of a traumatic childhood

Erik Erikson

•sometimes called Ego Psychologists, most known for his psychosocial stages of development

viewed the social world as a much more important component of our development

behaviorism

explains and predicts behavior in terms of the environmental stimuli acting on an organism and the organism’s responses

allows ones to predict behaviors that allows us to know the environmental stimuli that predicts these behaviors

classical conditioning

-pavlov’s dog

stimulus comes to bring forth the response usually brought forth by a second stimulus as a result of being paired  repeatedly with the second stimulus.

operant conditioning 

skinner 

frequency of behavior is increased (by means of reinforcement) or decreased (by means of punishment).

–Increased→ reinforced; Decreased→being punished

positive vs negative reinforcement

POS: increases the frequency of behavior when it is presented (an example would be to reward behavior by giving something pleasant such as food or money)

NEG: increases the frequency of behavior when it is removed (an example would be to reward behavior by taking away an unpleasant task such as doing the dishes)

reciprocal determinism

•Albert Bandura’s term for the social-cognitive view that people influence their environment just as their environment influences them.

–People observe someone else, and then they imitate what they observe; ppl influence their environment and the environment then influences them, its reciprocal

-Cognition, behavior, and environment are all connected with each other

Humanism

•view that people are capable of free choice, self-fulfillment, and ethical behavior.

–If placed in the correct environment, changes will be made if done so

existentialism 

The view that people are completely free and responsible for their own behavior.

self-actualization

-Maslow

this is the only need that isn’t a deficit needs because you need the other needs for survival

•An innate tendency to strive to realize one’s potential.  The goal to “be all you can be.”

Maslow believed that we progress toward higher psychological needs once our basic needs are met→ If we are preoccupied with meeting our basic needs it will be harder to be self-actualized

Roger’s Self Theory

believed that each of us is unique and views the world from a unique frame of reference. 

-unconditional positive regard

what is a trait

a relatively stable aspect of personality that is inferred from behavior and assumed to give rise to consistent behavior

an individual will display this trait in most situations

•Examples of traits include: Quiet, impulsive, outgoing, moody, calm, optimistic, anxious, reliable, etc.

Eysenck’s Five Factor Model 

Each person falls on a continuum for five factors and each person falls on a different continuum→ OCEAN

=extraversion, agreeableness, consciousness, neuroticism, open to experience

individualist

•A person who defines herself or himself in terms of personal traits and gives priority to her or his own goals.

sociocultural theory

collectivist

A person who defines herself or himself in terms of relationships to other people and groups and gives priority to group goals.

sociocultural theory

acculturation

process in which immigrants acclimate to their new host culture.

objective vs projective tests 

OBJ: present respondents with a standard group of test items in the form of a questionnaire; EX. MMPI

PRO: derived from the belief (in psychodynamic theory) that people tend to impose their unconscious needs, impulses, or motives onto their responses to unstructured or vague stimuli; EX. Rorschach and TAT

What is the clinician’s role in psychological assessment?

Answer referral questions, make recommendations, interpret data, consider etiology/prognosis, ensure validity/reliability, maintain ethics

What reliability levels are required for tests?

Clinical decisions → ≥.90

Research → ≥.70.

Types of assessment interviews?

Client-centered, Behavioral, Diagnostic; structured vs semi-structured

Hypothesis Testing Model for assessment interpretation?

1) Clarify referral question

2) interviews

3) develop hypotheses

4) select tests

5) gather data

6) reject/accept hypotheses,

7) integrate info,

8) provide recommendations.

What does very short (<60 min) or long (>120 min) completion time on MMPI-2 suggest?

<60 = impulsivity/invalid

>120 = severe depression, psychosis, indecision, low IQ, or poor reading.

What scales should NOT be used in code types?

Scale 5 (Masculinity-Femininity) and Scale 0 (Social Introversion)

MMPI Validity scales

}Developed to assess test-taking approaches that may distort results of other scales

Measure test-taking attitudes

What are VRIN and TRIN?

VRIN = Variable Response Inconsistency (random responding)

TRIN = True Response Inconsistency (indiscriminate yes/no)

T≥80 = invalid.

What do L, K, and S scales measure?

L = Lie scale (naive “fake good”)

K = Correction (defensiveness, sophistication)

S = Superlative (minimizing distress)

What do elevated clinical scale scores (>65 T) represent?

Core concerns/symptoms

Scores 60–65 suggest personality traits, >65 = significant psychopathology

What are Harris-Lingos and Content Scales used for?

To refine meaning of elevated scales

Content Scales cover symptoms (internal, external, negative self-views, problem areas).

What is the mean and standard deviation of the MMPI-2?

M=50;SD=10

For 8 clinical scales, not including 5 or 0, what t-scores are used?

uniform t-scores

What kind of t-scores are used for clinical scales 5 and 0 and validity scales?

linear t-scores

What validity scales are non-content based?

• cannot sy

• VRIN

  • TRIN

If cannot say, vrin and trin are all invalid then you shouldn’t go and look at anything else

How many items are on the MMPI-2

567 items 

cannot say scale 

-validity scale that measures number of items not answered or number of items marked true AND false

-The number of unanswered or double-marked items

◦30+ unanswered items  out of 167 for the profile to be considered invalid

K – Correction Scale

this validity scale determines if indiviudals describe themselves in an overly positive manner

• identifies psychologically sophisticated individuals who may not elevate the L scale 

T ≥ 75 mean→ Defensive, overly favorable self-description.

clinical scale scores are generally considered high at greater than or equal to a t-score of 65

clinical scales

What indicates which clinical scales are the highest in the profile?

code types 

Code types are limited to what?

2 or 3 highest clinical scale scores

For most two—point code types, the numbers are what?

interchangable

We can only interpret only what kind of code types?

defined code types 

The lowest clinical scale included in the code type is at least what?

5 T score points higher than the next highest clinical scale in the profile

What are the subscales of the clinical scales called?

harris-lingoes scales

When are personality characteristics evaluated for t-scores?

when they are between 60 and 65

Content scales are interpreted when T scores are what?

greater than 65

Content component scales are only interpreted when?

the parent content scale is greater than 65

What are the 10 MMPI-2 clinical scales by number?

1 = Hypochondriasis
2 = Depression
3 = Hysteria
4 = Psychopathic Deviate
5 = Masculinity-Femininity
6 = Paranoia
7 = Psychasthenia
8 = Schizophrenia
9 = Hypomania
0 = Social Introversion

Why are clinical scales often referred to by number instead of name?

Because they are not pure measures of the disorder their name suggests.

What approach was used to construct the original MMPI?

empirical keying, meaning test items are selected based on their ability to differentiate between groups (e.g., depressed vs. non-clinical).

What clinical scale taps a wide variety of vague and nonspecific complaints about bodily functioning?

hypochondriasis

What clinical scale measures clinical depression, which is characterized by poor morale, lack of hope in the future, and general dissatisfaction with one’s life?

depression

What clinical scale measures the hysterical reaction to stressful situations?

hysteria scale

Which clinical scale measures general social maladjustment and the absence of strongly pleasant experiences?

psychopathic deviate scale

This is the weakest basic MMPI-2 scale

masculinity/femininty scale

this clinical scale measures a person’s inability to resist specific actions or thoughts, regardless of their maladaptive nature

psychasthenia

an old term used to describe what we now call obsessive-compulsive disorder

psychasthenia

this clinical scale measures bizarre thoughts, peculiar perceptions, social alienation, poor familial relationships, difficulties in concentration and impulse control,

schizophrenia scale

this clinical scale measures milder degrees of excitement, characterized by an elated but unstable mood, psychomotor excitement, and flight of ideas

hypomania

This clinical scale measures social introversion and extroversion

social introversion

Test-taking attitude is important for which scales because of their high face-validity?

content scales

This restructured clinical scale should always be the starting point for interpretation

demoralization (RCd)

this restructured clinical scale provides an overall indication of an individual’s current level of emotional dysfunction

demoralization (RCd)

elevated scores on this restructured clinical scale indicates large numbers of somatic complaints, preoccupation with bodily concerns, and a presentation of diffuse somatic concerns

somatic complaints (RC1)

elevated scores on this restructured clinical scale indicate increased risk for depression, insecurity, pessimism, passive social withdrawal, anhedonia, etc.

low posiitve emotions

this restructured clinical scale looks for belief that others look out only for self-interests or will try to take advantage, individuals have difficulties forming interpersonal relationships, and they expect to fail

cynicism 

elevated scores on this restructured clinical scale indicates anti-social behavior, interpersonal aggression, critical, angry, argumentative, poor achievement, etc.

antisocial behavior (RC4)

elevated scores on this restructured clinical scale indicate significant paranoid ideation, view others as source of malevolent threat, view selves as victims of others’ ill intentions

ideas of persecution (RC6)

elevated scores on this restructured clinical scale indicate increased risk for anxiety, rumination, excessive worry, sensitivity toward criticism, brooding, etc.

dysfunctional negative emotions (RC7)

elevated scores on this restructured clinical scale indicate reports of unusual thought processes and perceptions, such as hallucinations and delusions

aberrant experiences (RC8)

elevated scores on this restructured clinical scale indicate a grandiose self-view, general excitation, sensation-seeking, poor impulse control, risk-taking, etc.

hypomanic activation

What are the different PSY-5 scales?

aggressiveness, psychoticism, disconstraint, neuroticism/negative emotionality, introversion/low positive emotionality 

What is the primary purpose of the Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ)?

To screen for possible bipolar spectrum disorders, not to diagnose

According to the MDQ, how many symptoms from Question 1 must a patient endorse to warrant further assessment for bipolar disorder?

at least seven symptoms

What main domains are covered in a Psychological Clinical Interview?

Identification

General Appearance & Behavior

Mental Status Evaluation

Family/Social Information

Psychiatric & Medical History

Education/Vocational Background

Substance Use

Legal History

Summary/Recommendation

What types of thought content are specifically assessed in the clinical interview?

Hallucinations, delusions, suicidal ideation, and homicidal ideation

What is the difference between thought process and thought content in an MSE?

Thought process→ the flow and coherence of ideas (e.g., logical, tangential, circumstantial), Thought content→ what the patient is actually thinking about (e.g., delusions, suicidal ideation)

What are the four domains of orientation tested in an MSE?

time, place, person, situation 

What must psychologists base their opinions on according to Standard 9.01(a)?

On information and techniques sufficient to substantiate their findings

What must psychologists do if validity and reliability are not established for a population (9.02b)?

Describe the strengths and limitations of the test results and interpretations.

What does 9.02(c) require regarding language?

Assessments must be conducted in the individual’s language preference and competence unless another language is relevant to the assessment.

When is informed consent NOT required for assessment (9.03a)?

When testing is (1) mandated by law/regulation, (2) implied as a routine institutional activity, or (3) conducted to evaluate decisional capacity.

What is included in “test data” under 9.04(a)?

Raw/scaled scores, client responses, and psychologist notes/recordings

When may psychologists withhold test data even with release?

To protect clients or others from substantial harm or misuse of data.

When may unqualified persons use psychological assessments (9.07)?

Only for training purposes under proper supervision.

Who retains responsibility for test interpretation (9.09c)?

The psychologist, regardless of who scores or interprets the test.

What obligation do psychologists have when results are scored/interpreted by others (9.10)?

Ensure results are explained to the individual or representative, unless precluded (e.g., forensic or preemployment evaluations) and disclosed in advance.

What does Standard 9.11 require of psychologists?

Take reasonable steps to maintain the integrity and security of test materials, consistent with law and contracts.

A 9-item self-report screening tool for depression based on DSM-5 criteria

PHQ-9

What does the PHQ-9 measure?

presence and severity of depressive symptoms.

What is the typical time frame assessed by the PHQ-9?

symptoms experienced over the past two weeks

Why is the PHQ-9 not considered a diagnostic tool on its own?

It screens for symptoms but requires a full clinical evaluation for diagnosis.

What is the purpose of the MMPI-2 Validity Scales?

To assess response style (e.g., exaggeration, minimization, inconsistency) and determine whether the test results are interpretable.

Steps in interpreting an MMPI-2 Profile

Check validity scales to determine whether the profile is interpretable.

Identify clinical scale elevations (T-scores ≥ 65 are typically clinically significant)

Harris lingo scales: interpret them

Interpret clinical scale code types 

Look at the content scales in order to know what content component sub scales to interpret, then you interpret these 

How are code types interpreted?

By consulting empirical research and interpretive guides (e.g., Graham’s MMPI-2 book) on typical patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.