LAUSR

Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of augmenting the response options of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Second Edition-Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF). Numerous investigations indicate that scores on scales with more response options tend to possess better psychometric properties than those with fewer response options. A previous investigation by Cox and colleagues compared the psychometric performance of the MMPI-2 Restructured Clinical scales using the standard response format to a version using an augmented, four-point response format. Scores from the augmented version demonstrated superior internal consistency compared to the standard form. Scores from the augmented version failed to demonstrate superior convergent validity compared to the standard form. The current study replicates and expands these findings to all the MMPI-2-RF scales. The augmented version took approximately 3 minutes longer to complete, but participants felt the augmented response format allowed them to describe themselves more accurately. As in the previous study, internal consistency was superior for scores on the augmented version, but these gains did not lead to increased convergent validity. No order effects were observed. Potential explanations for this counterintuitive finding are discussed, and recommendations are made for future investigations in response option augmentation.