Based on Theodore Millon, Ph.D., D.Sc.’s Evolutionary Theory of personality and psychopathology, the brief Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III (MCMI-III) instrument provides a measure of 24 personality disorders and clinical syndromes for adults undergoing psychological or psychiatric assessment or treatment. Specifically designed to help assess both Axis I and Axis II disorders, this psychological test assists clinicians in psychiatric diagnosis, developing a treatment approach that takes into account the patient’s personality style and coping behavior, and guiding treatment decisions based on the patient’s personality pattern.

The MCMI-III is composed of 175 true-false questions and usually takes the average person less than 30 minutes to complete. After the test is scored, it produces 29 scales — 24 personality and clinical scales, and 5 scales used to verify how the person approached and took the test.

The Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory, 3rd edition (MCMI-III) is an update of the MCMI-II which represents ongoing research, conceptual developments, and the changes in the DSM-IV. It is a standardized, self-report questionnaire assessing a wide range of information related to personality, emotionality, and test-taking attitude. Changes to the MCMI-II include addition of the Depressive and PTSD scales.

The Millon is often given in a clinical setting when questions arise about the specific diagnosis a person may have, or the personality traits or characteristics that the person has that may be impacting their ability to effectively cope with life or a mental health concern. It can readily illuminate personality traits and personality styles far more quickly and effectively than a clinical interview can for most clinicians.

Benefits of the Millon

The MCMI-III is distinguished from other personality tests primarily by its shortness, its theoretical anchoring, multiaxial format, tripartite construction and validation schema, use of base rate scores, and interpretive depth. It is anchored to Millon’s theories of personality and coordinated to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) personality disorders and other major clinical diagnoses.

A part of the MCMI-III is based upon Millon’s theory of personality, as illustrated in the following 15 personality styles and subtypes:

Retiring/Schizoid Shy/Avoidant Pessimistic/Melancholic Cooperative/Dependent Exuberant/Hypomanic Sociable/Histrionic Confident/Narcissistic Nonconforming/Antisocial Assertive/Sadistic Conscientious/Compulsive Skeptical/Negativistic Aggrieved/Masochistic Eccentric/Schizotypal Capricious/Borderline Suspicious/Paranoid

What the Millon Measures

There are 90 new items and 85 that remained the same maintaining the 175 total items of the MCMI-II. Most of the changes had to do with the severity of the symptoms to increase the ability to detect pathology. The test consists of 14 personality disorder scales and 10 clinical syndrome scales, each of which helps to determine whether the person may have a personality disorder, or a mental disorder such as depression or anxiety.

The test is broken down into the following scales: