Abstract

Very often we get perplexed when psychological tests disagree each other or with clinical symptoms of patients in diagnostic terms. Recently, Stricker and Gold(1999), and Gregory Meyer(1997) published articles attempting to integrate those disagreements, especially between Rorschach and MMPI. They argue that (a) personality has a complex organization, (b) the methods tap unique levels of personality, and (c) method variance has a powerful impact on the measurement process. Each method is valid in some areas and its validity must be evaluated in the context of the conceptual and theoretic domain from which the method is derived. Self-report measures such as the MMPI are most useful when interest is focused on consciously available and behavioral dimensions of functioning, while depth-oriented, performance measures such as the Rorschach are most useful when interest is focused on unconscious and structural dimensions of functioning. It is the clinical skill of the professional psychologist to integrate diverse information and judgment from heteromethod and multidimensional assessment measures.