Evaluation of convergent and discriminant validity of the Russian version of MMPI-2: First results

• Main Authors: Emma I. Mescheriakova, Anastasia V. Larionova, Sergey A. Bogomaz
• Format: Article
• Language: Russian
• Published: Lomonosov Moscow State University 2015-06-01
• Series: Nacionalʹnyj Psihologičeskij Žurnal
• Subjects: psychodiagnostics; test MMPI-2; construct; convergent; discriminant validity; psychopathology; positive psychology
• Online Access: http://npsyj.ru/pdf/npj-no18-2015/npj_no18_2015_115-122.pdf

The paper presents the results of construct validity testing for a new version of the MMPI-2 (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory), which restandardization started in 1982 (J.N. Butcher, W.G. Dahlstrom, J.R. Graham, A. Tellegen, B. Kaemmer) and is still going on. The professional community’s interest in this new version of the Inventory is determined by its advantage over the previous one in restructuring the inventory and adding new items which offer additional opportunities for psychodiagnostics and personality assessment. The construct validity testing was carried out using three up-to-date techniques, namely the Quality of Life and Satisfaction with Life questionnaire (a short version of Ritsner’s instrument adapted by E.I. Rasskazova), Janoff-Bulman’s World Assumptions Scale (adapted by O. Kravtsova), and the Character Strengths Assessment questionnaire developed by E. Osin based on Peterson and Seligman’s Values in Action Inventory of Strengths. These psychodiagnostic techniques were selected in line with the current trends in psychology, such as its orientation to positive phenomena as well as its interpretation of subjectivity potential as the need for self-determined, self-organized, self-realized and self-controlled behavior and the ability to accomplish it. The procedure of construct validity testing involved the «norm» group respondents, with the total sample including 205 people (62% were females, 32% were males). It was focused on the MMPI-2 additional and expanded scales (FI, BF, FP, S и К) and six of its ten basic ones (D, Pd, Pa, Pt, Sc, Si). The results obtained confirmed construct validity of the scales concerned, and this allows the MMPI-2 to be applied to examining one’s personal potential instead of a set of questionnaires, facilitating, in turn, the personality researchers’ objectives. The paper discusses the first stage of this construct validity testing, the further stage highlighting the factor structure of the scales mentioned.