The primary use of the MMPI is in a clinical setting to assess mental health, but it also proves helpful in legal disputes regarding custody and as part of the recruitment screening process.

The length of the test varies between 35 and 90 minutes, again depending on which version is used. The test contains between 338 and 567 questions depending on which version is used, can be administered individually or in groups, and may be taken in either a computerized or paper format. The MMPI test uses ten clinical scales to assess the candidate’s personality and behaviors. The MMPI was subsequently revised in the 1980s and 2000s to its current format and is now the most regularly used mental health clinical assessment tool. The MMPI was first developed in the late 1930s by psychologist Starke R Hathaway and neurologist JC McKinley at the University of Minnesota as a clinical tool to assess mental health, specifically to diagnose mental disorders. There are no right or wrong answers, and it is therefore unlikely that a candidate will be able to cheat the test. Unlike other recruitment-related tests, the MMPI does not have a pass/fail format. It cannot be used without this professional guidance. The test is administered and the results are interpreted by a qualified psychologist or psychiatrist who has received training in the use of the MMPI. It examines aspects of the candidate’s personality to ascertain their mental stability, whether they are suitable for the job and how they can be expected to perform in that job over time and under stress. The MMPI test is commonly used to recruit for high-risk roles, such as commercial airline pilots and police officers, where mental health plays an important role in decision-making and carrying out the job safely and efficiently. Your first response might be to panic at the thought of sitting a test, envisioning hours of revision and preparation, but the MMPI is far from an academic exam or standard personality test.

However, the letter also states that you will be expected to take a Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory ( MMPI) test as part of the screening process. Your application for that dream job has been successful and you have landed an interview.

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