Millon Clinical

Multiaxial Inventory III

(MCMI-III)
MCMI: Description

 An MMPI-like, true-false
inventory
 175 items
 Includes validity, clinical
personality, and clinical
syndrome scales
 Based on Millon’s
personality theory
 Tied to DSM-IV diagnoses
MCMI: Test Construction

 Three phases
 Theoretical-substantive
 Internal-structural
 External-criterion
 Normed on clinical
samples
MCMI: Scales

 Validity/Modifying Indices
 X Disclosure
 Y Desirability
 Z Debasement
MCMI: Scales (cont)
 Clinical Personality
 1 Schizoid
 2A Avoidant
 2B Depressive
 3 Dependent
 4 Histrionic
 5 Narcissistic
 6 Antisocial
 6B Sadistic (Aggressive)
 7 Compulsive
 8A Negativistic
 8B Masochistic
 Severe Personality Pathology
 S Schizotypal
 C Borderline
 P Paranoid
MCMI: Scales (cont)

 Clinical Syndromes
 A Anxiety
 H Somatoform
 N Bipolar: Manic
 D Dysthymia
 B Alcohol Dependence
 T Drug Dependence
 R PTSD
 Severe Clinical Syndromes
 SS Thought Disorder
 CC Major Depression
 PP Delusional Disorder
MCMI: Scoring and
Interpreting
 Base Rate Anchors
 115 Maximum raw score
 85 Prevalence PD disorder
(1-8) or
Prev of “prominent”
disorder (A-PP)
 75 Prev of PD traits or
Prev of present
disorder (A-PP)
 60 Median for patients
 0 Minimum raw score
 Score adjustment
 X Disclosure
 Anxiety/Depression
 Inpatient adjustment
 Denial/Complaint adjustment
MCMI: Strengths

 Relatively brief, easy to

administer
 Easy computer-scoring
 Good reliability
 Tied to Millon’s theory
 Tied to DSM-IV dx
(including PD)
 Use of base rates
 Some research support
MCMI: Limitations

 Difficult to score by hand

 Descriptions and
predictions are more
theoretically than
empirically based
 Tied to Millon’s personality
theory
 Interpretation, especially
of Axis I disorders, is not
as easy as it looks