Compare the purpose and use of the MMPI-2 and the Rorschach Inkblot test

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

ANSWER:
The purpose of the MMPI-2 is to identify problem areas of functioning in an individual’s personality. It is organized into 10 groups of items, called clinical scales. These scales measure patterns of responses or traits associated with specific mental health disorders such as depression, paranoia, and schizophrenia. A person’s response patterns are reviewed to see whether they resemble the pattern of responses from groups of people who have these disorders. Interpreting the MMPI-2 involves comparing the test taker’s responses to those of the “norming” population.
?
The purpose of projective tests like the Rorschach is similar to that of personality inventories. Psychologists want to pinpoint healthy and unhealthy areas of functioning in the individual being tested. However, unlike personality inventories, projective tests are derived from the psychoanalytic perspective; the images and stories described are thought to reflect underlying unconscious urges and desires. Because projective tests are more subject to the interpretation of the clinician than are personality inventories, coding systems have been devised to decrease variation in interpretation and increase their reliability in measuring personality. Projective tests are most useful for identifying themes in a person’s life or for delineating an individual’s problem-solving style.