Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory – IV

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The Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory – 4th edition (MCMI-IV) assesses personality and psychopathology in adults aged 18 years and older who are undergoing psychological and psychiatric assessment and management and/or facing interpersonal and emotional issues. As it is aimed at providing a quick and accurate assessment, the items are phrased at a reading level of Primary 4/5 and can be completed between 25 – 30 minutes. It is available in English and Spanish and in an audio version.

The MCMI-IV personality patterns/scale spectrums capture the patient’s personality by categorizing it into 3 levels of functioning:  

  • Normal style – generally adaptive personality patterns  

  • Abnormal traits/type – moderately maladaptive personality attributes  

  • Clinical disorder – likelihood of greater personality dysfunction  

These 3 levels of functioning are covered by 25 scales, with 15 scales accounting for personality disorder and 10 scales accounting for clinical syndrome scales.

As the MCMI-IV specifically examines personality characteristics, it is useful for distinguishing between enduring personality styles and emotional dysfunction, and subsequently, between personality disorders and clinical symptomology. The presence of separate scales also facilitates such a distinction. The MCMI inventory is also used in various settings (e.g outpatient clinics, mental health centers and counselling programs) due to its ease of administration. As it is also available in an audio version, this makes the MCMI-IV suitable for those with visual impairments and attention difficulties in neuropsychological patients.