
The Millon® Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-IV (MCMI®-IV) (2015)
by Theodore Millon, Ph.D., D.Sc., Seth Grossman, Psy.D., & Carrie Millon, Ph.D.
The newest iteration of Dr. Millon’s flagship inventory, the MCMI-IV, is a full reflection of the substantial revision to Millon’s theory introduced in Disorders of Personality – 3rd Edition (Millon, 2011), that also expands on several advances introduced in the MCMI-III in recent years.This thoroughly modernized instrument, a true integration of theoretical and empirical methodologies, gives the clinician clear indication of the level of personality functioning, and focuses on therapeutic alliance-building by highlighting basic personologic motivations.
The MCMI-IV features an updated set of Grossman Facet Scales, which also help guide therapy by identifying the most salient domains of an individual’s personality (e.g., interpersonal, cognitive). Noteworthy responses have been significantly expanded in this edition, offering both immediate notification of critical areas (e.g., violence potential, self-destructive potential) as well as for potential differential diagnostic needs for DSM constructs falling out of the MCMI-IV’s main measurement areas (e.g., ASD, ADHD). The result of this new instrument’s comprehensive approach is a highly personalized reflection of the individual completing the inventory, with significant directives for effective, targeted, and comprehensive treatment.
The MCMI (Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory) is distinguished from other inventories primarily by its brevity, its theoretical anchoring, multiaxial format, tripartite construction and validation schema, use of base rate scores, and interpretive depth. Each generation of the MCMI inventory has attempted to keep the total number of items small enough to encourage its use in all types of diagnostic and treatment settings, yet large enough to permit the assessment of a wide range of clinically relevant multiaxial behaviors. At 195 items, the MCMI-IV inventory is much shorter than comparable instruments. Terminology is geared to a fifth-grade reading level. The great majority of individuals can complete the MCMI-IV in 25 to 35 minutes, facilitating relatively simple and rapid administrations while minimizing patient resistance and fatigue.
Theoretical Anchoring
Coordination to DSM-5
Test Development
Base Rate Scores
Computer Scoring and Interpretation
Clinical Uses
Research
Scales
The MCMI-IV consists of a total of twenty-five scales: Fifteen Clinical Personality Patterns scales: Schizoid, Avoidant, Melancholic, Dependent, Histrionic, Turbulent (NEW in the MCMI-IV), Narcissistic, Antisocial, Sadistic, Compulsive, Negativistic, and Masochistic; three Severe Personality Pathology scales: Schizotypal, Borderline, and Paranoid; seven Clinical Syndrome Scales: Anxiety, Somatoform, Bipolar Spectrum, Persistent Depression, Alcohol Dependence, Drug Dependence, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder; three Severe Clinical Syndrome scales: Schizophrenic Spectrum, Major Depression, and Delusional Disorder; three Modifying Indices, an Inconsistency scale, and a Validity scale. The personality scales parallel the personality disorders of the DSM-5, as refined by theory. They are grouped into two levels of severity, the Clinical Personality Patterns scales and Severe Personality Scales. The clinical symptomology scales represent syndromal conditions frequently seen in clinical settings. They are also grouped into two levels of severity, the Clinical Syndromes scales and the Severe Syndrome Scales. The three Modifying Indices – Disclosure, Desirability, and Debasement – assess response tendencies which are connected with particular personality patterns or syndromal conditions.
The MCMI-IV also features Grossman Facet Scales, which provide information specifying the patient’s scores on several of the personologic/clinical domains described in previous sections of this Website, such as problematic interpersonal conduct, cognitive styles, expressive behaviors, and the like. They thereby contribute useful diagnostic information that should help clinicians better understand the particular realms of functioning on which the patient’s difficulties manifest themselves. They should also provide the clinical practitioner with guidance for selecting specific therapeutic modalities that are likely to maximize the achievement of positive treatment goals.
Scale descriptions and detailed data on test development and validation may be obtained by reading the current (2015) MCMI-IV test manual.