Assessing Hispanic Clients Using the MMPI-2 and MMPI-A

Reviewer: Gary B Kaniuk, Psy.D.(Cermak Health Services)
Description: This book on the use of the MMPI-2 with Hispanic clients also covers the psychometric properties of the Spanish-language versions of the MMPI-2 and MMPI-A. In general, it takes on the challenge of how to use assessment tools with clients from different cultural and language backgrounds.
Purpose: According to the authors, the goal is to "orient psychological assessment practitioners to the issues, strengths, and limitations of incorporating an objective personality assessment instrument for psychological evaluations with clients who have a Hispanic background."
Audience: In addition to practitioners, graduate students in clinical psychology programs would also benefit greatly from this book. The authors are authorities in this area. Dr. Butcher, professor emeritus in psychology at the University of Minnesota, founded a symposium on the MMPI-2 in 1965 and has maintained his study of this instrument to the present day. Dr. Cabiya has been conducting research with the MMPI and Latino clients since the mid 1980s and was a co-author of the Hispanic Version of the MMPI-A Manual Supplement. Dr. Lucio is a professor at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and Dr. Garrido's clinical work has involved assessing Spanish-speaking clients for forensic and educational purposes.
Features: Most of the chapters end with a summary and recap of highlights. Chapter one is particularly interesting, discussing the challenges of assessing cross-cultural clients, such as appropriate test use and understanding and addressing biases in assessment. The appendixes are informative, including information on Spanish language translations of the MMPI-2 and MMPI-A and T-scores for the Mexican Version of both tests. The numerous exhibits, tables, and figures help clarify the material and the case studies add real-world meaning to the book.
Assessment: Since the Hispanic community is the largest ethnic minority group in the United States, it is important to have a book such as this that addresses assessment issues with the most widely researched psychological test. The case studies are wonderful, helping readers get a good sense of how to interpret test scores from a cross-cultural perspective.