Purpose: Designed to assess presence and type of psychopathology in respondent.

Population: Adults.

Score: Produces 20 scores.

Time: (20-40) minutes.

Author: Theodore Millon.

Publisher: NCS Interpretive Scoring Systems.

Description: The Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI) is a 175-item true-false inventory which appears to answer the question: "What type of chronic psychopathology does the respondent have?" The MCMI is a direct operationalization of Millon’s taxonomy proposed in Modern Psychopathology (1969). The text presents a taxonomy which is to account for (1) severity of the disorder, (2) covariation or clustering of signs, (3) a four by two (active-passive) matrix of disorders, (4) a circumplicial set of related pathognomic signs, (5) continuity between the premorbid personality and severe impairment, and (6) the separation between biological, situational, and personality factors.

Scoring: The results produce 20 scores: 8 basic personality styles (schizoid, avoidant, dependent, histrionic, narcissistic, antisocial, compulsive, passive-aggressive), 3 pathological personality syndromes (schizotypal, borderline, paranoid), 6 symptom disorders scales of moderate severity (anxiety, somatoform, hypomanic, dysthymia, alcohol abuse, drug abuse), 3 symptom disorder scales of extreme severity (psychotic thinking, psychotic depression, psychotic delusions), plus 2 additional correction scales which provide a means to identify and adjust possible test-taking distortion. The manual provides clear administration instructions although there is an intentional unavailability of scoring templates. The test uses base rate scores rather than standard scores.

Reliability: Reliability studies show a 1-week test-retest reliability coefficients of an .87 average for Basic Personality Scales, .85 for Pathological Personality Syndromes, and .81 for Symptom Disorder Scales. Test-retest coefficients for 5-week intervals average .82, .77, and .67 for the three sets of scales. Kuder-Richardson 20 coefficients average .83, .90, and.82 for Basic Personality Styles, Pathological Personality Syndromes, and Symptom Disorders Scales, respectively.

Validity: In regards to validity, the MCMI correlates with the Symptom Distress Checklist-90 (SCL-90), the Psychological Screening Inventory (PSI), and the MMPI (basic scales plus Wiggins Content Scales) in theoretically expected and clinically meaningful patterns.

Norms: Inpatient and outpatient clinical sample.

Suggested Uses: The MCMI is designed for diagnostic use in clinical and research settings.