Culture and Tests of Personality and Psychopathology
Abstract
Deliberate recognition of the impact of cultural and diversity factors throughout the assessment process is a key component of evidence-based psychological assessment (Smith & Krishnamurthy, 2018; Wright et al., 2022) and the ethical practice of psychology (American Psychological Association, 2017). In line with this, the presentation will discuss current data on the application of tests of psychopathology and personality with diverse populations. Two frequently used broadband measures of personality and psychopathology will be discussed in depth: the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) family of instruments (Ben-Porath & Sellbom, 2024) and the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI; Morey, 2007). Pertinent aspects of test development (e.g., normative data) and test administration (e.g., modalities, translations) as they pertain to assessment with diverse individuals will be discussed. The presentation will discuss and explore scenarios when these tests are appropriate for use based on available data and identify limitations or considerations for their application with diverse populations.
Presenter
Taylor R. Rodriguez | Rutgers University
Dr. Joye Anestis | Rutgers University
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of the Webinar, attendees will be able to:
- Describe the strengths and limitations of two common broadband tests of personality and psychopathology
- Identify scenarios where the tests are appropriate for use and identify limitations or considerations for their application with diverse populations.
Continuing Education Statement
The Society for Personality Assessment (SPA) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. SPA maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
Society for Personality Assessment is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0218.
1. American Psychological Association. (2017). Multicultural Guidelines: An Ecological Approach to Context, Identity, and Intersectionality. Retrieved from: http://www.apa.org/about/policy/multicultural-guidelines.pdf
2. Ben-Porath, Y., & Sellbom, M. (2024). Interpreting the MMPI-3. University of Minnesota Press.
3. Morey, L. C. (2007). Personality Assessment Inventory professional manual (2nd ed.). Psychological Assessment Resources, Inc.
4. Smith, S.R., & Krishnamurthy, R. (2018). Diversity-sensitive personality assessment. Routlege.
5. Wright, A.J., Pade, H., Gottfried, E.D., Arbisi, P.A., McCord, D.M., & Wygant, D.B. (2022). Evidence-based clinical psychological assessment (EBCPA): Review of current state of the literature and best practices. Professional Psychology: Research & Practice, 53, 372-386. https://doi.org/10.1037/pro0000447
Taylor Rodriguez, M.A., M.S. is a PhD candidate in clinical psychology at Rutgers University and an incoming (Fall 2025) Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at The University of Mississippi. She is currently completing her pre-doctoral clinical internship at The Medical University of South Carolina and Ralph H Johnson VA Medical Center. Her research focuses on personality assessment, with a particular focus on the MMPI instruments, mental healthcare utilization and engagement, and suicide prevention.
Joye Anestis, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Behavior, Society, & Policy at the Rutgers University School of Public Health., she is also a member of the training committee for the Rutgers University Behavioral Healthcare pre-doctoral psychology internship program (APA-accredited), where she provides therapy and assessment supervision and training for psychology residents. Her research expertise includes psychological assessment, suicide risk assessment and prevention, access to and outcomes of mental health interventions, and psychopathy and other externalizing traits and behaviors. Much of her assessment research has focused on the MMPI-2-RF/MMPI-3, and she has received past funding from the University of Minnesota Press to support MMPI-2-RF/MMPI-3 research projects. She currently serves as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Personality Assessment, a Consulting Editor for Psychological Assessment, and as a member of the advisory board for the University of Minnesota Press Test Division (the MMPI publisher).