Assessing Adolescents with the MMPI-A

AbstractThe MMPI-A is a sophisticated self-report instrument that allows clinicians to assess psychopathology in adolescent clients despite complex developmental, clinical, and methodological issues which can interfere with the psychological assessment of teens. It includes Validity Scales that measure the extent to which an adolescent responds to questions in a cooperative and truthful manner. The MMPI-A also includes ten basic Clinical Scales, fifteen Content Scales, thirty-one Content Component Scales, and forty-two Supplementary Scales. MMPI-A profiles require specialized knowledge and training to correctly interpret adolescent functioning and psychopathology. Computer-driven scoring and reporting may assist clinicians in accurate, comprehensive, and integrated interpretation of the MMPI-A's many scales. The MMPI-A can be used to provide feedback to adolescents about their self-reported psychopathology and gain their cooperation with the therapeutic process.