Which instrument is primarily used to assess personality traits and psychopathology?

• A. SVII
• B. MMPI
• C. SDS
• D. Interest Inventories

Answer: (B)

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory is designed to measure a wide range of personality traits and to screen for psychopathology. It includes multiple scales that map to various clinical syndromes (such as depression, anxiety, paranoia, and psychosis) and validity scales that detect inconsistent or dishonest responding. This combination makes it a primary tool for understanding both personality structure and potential mental health concerns in a single instrument, with standardized scoring and established interpretations.

In contrast, Self-Directed Search and other interest inventories focus on vocational interests and career fit rather than assessing mental health or broad personality pathology. SVII isn’t a standard, widely recognized clinical measure for psychopathology. So, for assessing personality traits together with psychopathology, the MMPI is the best fit.