The use of MMPI-2 and Rorschach tests in parenting capacity evaluations: a case contribution

Abstract

The evaluation of parenting capacity is an interdisciplinary activity of particular complexity and relevance, especially when
there are high conflicts in couples with children which require the intervention of the Judicial Authority. The use of psychodiagnostic
tests, as complementary instruments to clinical and forensic assessment, is crucial in this kind of evaluations. They are
able to measure, in a valid and reliable way, personality characteristics, cognitive abilities and relational dynamics of subjects. In
this context, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Second Edition (MMPI-2) and the Rorschach (CS Exner and
SRR) are two of the most common psychodiagnostic tests used to assess personality characteristics with robust psychometric
properties. The purpose of the present research is to analyze the personality characteristics of couples involved in custody and
parenting court evaluations analyzing index and scores gained in MMPI-2 and Rorschach test. There were analyzed 59 parenting
couples and results show that psychopathological disorders are present only in one third of the sample while deficits in stress
control, emotions, and social relationship are more diffused. Some personality characteristics like psychorigidity, impulsivity, reactivity
to secondary advantages, psychophysiological reactions are typically of parents involved in custody court evaluations
and can be connected to the founded parenting deficits.