Abstract

The purpose of this study was to provide information about the Korean MMPI-A Standardization process and psychometric properties of the Korean MMPI-A via comparisons with American data. Translation process of the Korean MMPI-A was divided into two parts: The items of the Korean MMPI-2 that are common to the MMPI-2 and MMPI-A were first adopted, and then the items that are unique to the MMPI-A were submitted to back-translation, pilot studies, and committee discussions. The normative sample of the Korean MMPI-A (775 boys and 759 girls) was selected based on 2000 Korean Census data to be representative of Korean adolescent population in terms of geographical region, place of residence, grade level, and sex. Raw scores were converted to appropriate T scores (uniform and linear T) using Korean norms. Mean Korean adolescent T-scores on the MMPI-A validity, clinical, and content scales all fell within one SD of the U.S. adolescent means. These T scores were much less elevated than those obtained by Korean college students and Korean adults. Item endorsement differences between Korean adolescents and American adolescents were also much smaller than those between Korean adults and American adults. Gender-related item differences for Koreans were very much similar to those for Americans. The internal structure of the MMPI-A basic scales revealed that Korean boys and girls showed better convergence than American boys and girls.Test-retest and internal consistency results of the Korean MMPI-A were comparable with the results obtained in American adolescent normative sample. Behavioral correlates for the MMPI-A clinical scales derived from the peer ratings were informative concerning the validity of the Korean MMPI-A clinical scales. These findings were considered to provide promising results regarding the cross-cultural equivalence of the Korean MMPI-A.