MMPI questions

[sloryde]

Hey guys,
I`m new to the sight after lurking around a bit. I have been taking courses for a power plant technology (nuclear) this spring and summer and scored a chance at an I&C internship. I took all the testing and passed. Then came the mmpi test and later received a call that I have to report for a psychology eval 3 hrs after I start my shift. What is this all about? What questions do the ask? Are they about the mmpi, background check, or just protocol? A little nervous about this because its been a long road to get this far. Thanks for any info and BTW this is a great sight with a bunch of good info.   

[Higgs]

I wouldn't sweat it unless you answered "YES" to "I hate my mother."

But seriously, it is probably just protocol at your particular site, or you answered a combo of questions and they just want to ask you a few more. Some of us have to see the psych every time, and it isn't anything major. Just be truthful and don't stress about it.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Justin

[Rennhack]

It's about the mmpi.  Don't worry.  Just be honest and forthcoming and you will be alright.

One of 2 things happen.  1: about 10% get selected to go to the shrink, randomly.  2: Some of your answers may have raised a red flag.  The shrink will ask you about them.  You will answer, and see that you are not a pathological liar, and give you a clean bill of health.

[Rennhack]

Some of us have to see the psych every time, and it isn't anything major.

Fore some reason, every time I work in New York I have to see the shrink.

[Already Gone]

Anybody who voluntarily works here is assumed to be insane.

I have to see the shrink pretty often.  They always let me in, but I'm sure they wonder why anyone in possession of a sound mind would want to pay these ridiculous taxes just to live in the land of snow and potholes.

[sloryde]

Thanks for the quick responses fellas, just has me a little worried after getting through what seems like a mountain of training and tests to think about getting booted in the end. What I found strange was the fact that I have clearance to start at 7 am and dont see the shrink until 10 - I guess if they thought I was nuts, they wouldn't let me through the gate! I have a lot to learn about this field after spending the last 25 yrs. as a tool and diemaker. Just wanted to change into a more stable job market - seems like my trade has and is leaving the good ol US. 

[Higgs]

Thanks for the quick responses fellas, just has me a little worried after getting through what seems like a mountain of training and tests to think about getting booted in the end. What I found strange was the fact that I have clearance to start at 7 am and dont see the shrink until 10 - I guess if they thought I was nuts, they wouldn't let me through the gate! I have a lot to learn about this field after spending the last 25 yrs. as a tool and diemaker. Just wanted to change into a more stable job market - seems like my trade has and is leaving the good ol US. 

Exactly. If they had any worries you wouldn't be in. So don't sweat it.

I was shocked by my first shrink though. I had quit smoking about 5 years ago, 1 year before I saw my first shrink. I checked NO to smoking on the quesitonaire. But, when I went to see him, he says;

"So how much do you smoke?"

Me; "Um, I don't smoke."

Him; "When did you quit?"

Me; "Um, about a year go."

Him; "How much did you smoke before you quit?"


Basically, I have no idea how he knew I smoked at one time. It scared the crap out of me.


You'll be fine.

Justin

[thenukeman]

One person told me he accidently skipped over a question and marked wrong about 15 questions in a row and somehow got back on track.   The shrink even told him we think that you may have marked a few questions in a row wrong and just want to verify your answers. That is what happened and my friend was cleared.  And even a I hate my mother can be explained if you were raised by a father, If your mother was a drunk, druggy etc.  I was told they could even tell if you were gay or not by how you answered the questions, so I threw them off by answering I hate flowers, and said I liked Popular Mechanics instead of Cosmo!!!! LOL

[Graphic]

The MMPI-2 is pretty neat if you ever get to look at a test and see the way people answer questions and how the MMPI is Scaled or Graded. Psychs really can tell a lot from the test that you might not even know about yourself.

http://www.upress.umn.edu/tests/mmpi2_scales.html

If you go to the link above you can see how in depth this really is.

If you see where the "L" is for Lie that comes up a lot and that is one of the biggest red flags there is. Some of the questions that go with that are such as ... "You always tell the truth" and people will put True. It is arguable, but anyone who puts true is going to get a L beside that question. It's just what I've seen come up a lot.

Anyways, I wouldn't really worry about it. As long as you don't have an extensive criminal history (which could be one reason you have an interview.. not saying you are a criminal though ) but anyways.. you will be okay.

I can say I have seen a few people get denied straight from the MMPI itself but it is very rare.

There is another test some utilities have started using called the PAI which is basically the same thing as the MMPI-2 but only about 170 questions compared to 576 or whatever it is. Hopefully a lot more will go to this. The only downfall to me is that the MMPI is on a 5th grade reading level I believe whereas the PAI is at a 3rd grade if I'm not mistaken. Seems to me we should be getting better not worse but hey it is what it is.


Goodluck!

[sloryde]

Thanks again for the replies, I did have a bogus disorderly conduct charge last year that was dismissed as soon as the judge heard the circumstances. Could this be a problem? I reported this on the background check. Do they question this also or just the mmpi results?

[Already Gone]

That may have something to do with it, though it isn't always the shrink who deals with things like that.  I wouldn't worry much. Just tell the truth and you should be fine.

[Graphic]

Most utilities won't interview over disorderly conduct simply because it costs a lot to interview with the psych. However, if you had that charge plus maybe answered a few questions the wrong way then they will. Could be because of it or just how you answered the questions. You will know when you interview.. it's not a huge thing 10 minutes at most usually.

Goodluck

[Brigrat]

I've been an AA/FFD Coordinator and a proctor for the MMPI...I get selected for Clinical Interview EVERY time...don't sweat it; just be honest.

[Sun Dog]

I've been an AA/FFD Coordinator and a proctor for the MMPI...I get selected for Clinical Interview EVERY time...don't sweat it; just be honest.

What is this "every time" BS?

Professional travelers in the commercial nuclear power business rarely take the MMPI prior to being granted unescorted access to the PA for outage support.  I have been a traveler for 30 years and have taken the MMPI perhaps 5 or 6 times, the latest being in '96 at TMI (and yes, I did get to talk with the shrink).  That was 15 years ago.  In those 15 years I have worked at maybe 18 power houses and was granted UA at each one without taking any version of the MMPI.

Anyone that implies that they take the nut test every time they apply for UA at a commercial nuclear power house is either exaggerating or hits the road once every 20 years.

BTW, I have been told by the professionals that if you take the MMPI more than two or three times in a lifetime it invalidates the results due to familiarity.  I do not know if this is true or not but it does make sense to me.

[Higgs]

I thought I read somewhere that this test isn't even recognized by professionals anymore as useful or accurate, but that utilities just cling to it because you know, they don't change.

[thenukeman]

I was told you  should only  have to take it once.  I have only taken it once.  I guess when most of the utilities came under PADS ( I believe right acronym)  it was recorded so you did not  have to take it again.  Also did not have to take some other tests if under PADS.

[Higgs]

I thought I read somewhere that this test isn't even recognized by professionals anymore as useful or accurate, but that utilities just cling to it because you know, they don't change.

I can't find where I read that so maybe I was imagining it. I ain't no doctor.

[Bigchris]

I've been an AA/FFD Coordinator and a proctor for the MMPI...I get selected for Clinical Interview EVERY time...don't sweat it; just be honest.

What is this "every time" BS?

Professional travelers in the commercial nuclear power business rarely take the MMPI prior to being granted unescorted access to the PA for outage support.  I have been a traveler for 30 years and have taken the MMPI perhaps 5 or 6 times, the latest being in '96 at TMI (and yes, I did get to talk with the shrink).  That was 15 years ago.  In those 15 years I have worked at maybe 18 power houses and was granted UA at each one without taking any version of the MMPI.

Anyone that implies that they take the nut test every time they apply for UA at a commercial nuclear power house is either exaggerating or hits the road once every 20 years.

Perhaps he meant that he has seen a shrink every time he has taken the MMPI, not that he takes the MMPI every time he applies for UA.

[Sun Dog]

Perhaps he meant that he has seen a shrink every time he has taken the MMPI, not that he takes the MMPI every time he applies for UA.

Perhaps...

Perhaps his "every time" was the final straw and I was simply reading too much into comments such as:

"every time I work in New York I have to see the shrink"

"I have to see the shrink pretty often"

"Some of us have to see the psych every time"

"I was shocked by my first shrink"

"I get selected for Clinical Interview EVERY time"

[Fermi2]

I+C has direct access to safety related equipment so they have to see the shrink.

[Graphic]

The MMPI has to be taken if it is your initial access obviously and some positions require interviews. If you go over a year without having access you have to take the MMPI when you try to gain access again. So basically anything >365 days without access means you are going to be taking the fun MMPI again.

[Sun Dog]

If you go over a year without having access you have to take the MMPI when you try to gain access again.

Can you cite a standard or regulation that requires this?  Also, please cite the standard or regulation that requires all I&C Techs (contractors included) to undergo a psychological interview prior to being granted UA.

[Graphic]

Can you cite a standard or regulation that requires this?  Also, please cite the standard or regulation that requires all I&C Techs (contractors included) to undergo a psychological interview prior to being granted UA.

I don't have my procedures in front of me but just going off the NRC website real quick I found what the procedure basically says. Now this doesn't have the I&C info you were looking for but that is somewhere else from what I remember. It doesn't necessarily say I&C tech from what I can remember either it is more vague and says anyone in a critical group/position. I will try to find it when I have it in front of me. I will post the link to the page from NRC site and you can try to find it. It actually is a great page with a lot of good info with many of the questions asked here on a normal basis.



(e) Psychological assessment. In order to assist in determining an individual’s trustworthiness and reliability, licensees, applicants, contractors or vendors shall ensure that a psychological assessment has been completed before the individual is granted unescorted access or certified unescorted access authorization. Individuals who are applying for initial unescorted access or unescorted access authorization, or who have not maintained unescorted access or unescorted access authorization for greater than 365 days, shall be subject to a psychological assessment. The psychological assessment must be designed to evaluate the possible adverse impact of any noted psychological characteristics on the individual’s trustworthiness and reliability.

http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/cfr/part073/part073-0056.html

[thenukeman]

Never had a year break before I got a permanent job so the 365 days Graphic quotes seems correct.

[Sun Dog]

I don't have my procedures in front of me but just going off the NRC website real quick I found what the procedure basically says. Now this doesn't have the I&C info you were looking for but that is somewhere else from what I remember. It doesn't necessarily say I&C tech from what I can remember either it is more vague and says anyone in a critical group/position. I will try to find it when I have it in front of me. I will post the link to the page from NRC site and you can try to find it. It actually is a great page with a lot of good info with many of the questions asked here on a normal basis.



(e) Psychological assessment. In order to assist in determining an individual’s trustworthiness and reliability, licensees, applicants, contractors or vendors shall ensure that a psychological assessment has been completed before the individual is granted unescorted access or certified unescorted access authorization. Individuals who are applying for initial unescorted access or unescorted access authorization, or who have not maintained unescorted access or unescorted access authorization for greater than 365 days, shall be subject to a psychological assessment. The psychological assessment must be designed to evaluate the possible adverse impact of any noted psychological characteristics on the individual’s trustworthiness and reliability.

http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/cfr/part073/part073-0056.html

Thanks for doing the research for me.  I must have been tired, cranky or both.

What I take from that paragraph is that the NRC does not require that anyone take the MMPI. Utilities elect to administer the MMPI as a way to meet their psychological assessment obligation.

I question if the MMPI should be administered repeatedly to one person.  It seems common knowledge that taking the MMPI multiple times negates its effectiveness to identify psychological issues.  A case could be made that administering the MMPI multiple times to a single employee to satisfy the NRC requirement is faulted.