| The MMPI Comprehension Assessment (MCA) was developed in order to provide a more accurate measure of an individual's estimated ability to read and comprehend the vocabulary words, cultural idioms, and complex sentence structures that are on MMPI-2, MMPI-2-RF, and MMPI-A items. Thirty three university undergraduate students and forty six patients from a psychiatric inpatient facility participated in the study. Participants completed multiple measures, including a Demographic and Background Information Form, Reading Recognition and Sentence Comprehension subtests of the WRAT-4, the MCA and the MMPI-2. Additionally, all participants in the forensic sample and 25% of participants in the university sample completed an Item Assessment Form to be used in conjunction with the MMPI-2 that allowed participants to indicate which, if any, MMPI-2 items they found to be confusing or difficult to comprehend. The remaining 75% of the university sample completed a Post-Questionnaire Survey following the completion of the MMPI-2 that asked participants numerous questions about their perception of the MMPI-2 items. Pearson correlations and robust percentage-bend correlations were utilized in order to examine relationships between the MCA Total score, MCA subtests, as well as the Word Reading and Sentence Comprehension subtests of the WRAT-4 and the VRIN, TRIN, and Cannot Say Validity Scales of the MMPI-2 and the MMPI-2-RF. Linear and multiple regressions examined whether MCA or WRAT-4 scores could predict scores on the Validity Scales. Results indicated that the shortest subtests of the MCA predicted atypical scores on validity scales for the university sample, while the shortest subtest was able to predict who had difficulty completing the entire MMPI-2 under specific time restrictions. The MCA was consistently able to predict scores on the validity scales above any significant prediction made by a WRAT-4 subtest. An instrument such as the MCA that can directly assess whether an individual is likely able to read and comprehend items on the MMPI family of tests may be a useful adjunct to estimate the validity of test results and offer added protection to support the determinations that are being made about the individual based on those results. |
