Revising psychological tests: lessons learned from the revision of the MMPI

Abstract

Some types of psychological tests become dated and require more frequent and more extensive revision than others. Because of the formidable effort that is required in a test revision, the goals and scope of the revision need to be carefully staked out before a revision is undertaken. The revision team needs to develop a generally agreed-upon guiding philosophy for the test revision in the beginning of the project and incorporate broad input into the changes that are likely to be required. Factors important to consider in a test revision are discussed, and the parameters of personality test revision illustrated from the extensive program to revise the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) are included. Recommendations for gauging acceptance of the revision are suggested along with steps that revisers and publishers might take to make a test revision both more research based and more acceptable to test users.