Failed MMPI at PEPC?

[Joe28]

Has anybody gotten any phone calls about the MMPI? I'm in the pubnat2 group and got one. They called me and told me I failed it. I don't know how this is possible with questions such as "Do you see animals that aren't there?" I have never had any kind of problems with taking these psych tests before. It's just a bit unsettling to me that the e-mail they sent after talking on the phone said that this will "slow your medical clearance processing down by at least 10 - 12 weeks." Apparently I will retake the long version of the test and be re-evaluated. But 10-12 weeks... damn.

[LISRAREF]

When did you get this phone call and who was it from? I really don't get how it is scored but it could be that it might have interpreted your responses as being "too honest" or something like that as it stated in the directions.

[Joe28]

i got it earlier today from a (404) area code. on the phone they asked for my e-mail to send more information (papers to sign).

[ohioaviator]

was the call from your HR rep or someone else?

[ajw204]

jeeeeeeeze man...i took mine non pepc around 2 weeks ago...still no call. if this happens to me i will be pissed.

[Joe28]

it was not my hr rep.. they were part of the people doing medical clearances

[Wyopoke79]

Joe....didn't you already take the long version at the pepc? It was like 567 questions...

You had me checking my caller ID just now.....

[FM_Weasel]

I learned of another Pubnat2er (not to be named, of course) that got the same phone call yesterday.

Did anyone from Pubnat1 have to deal with this? What was the ultimate determination? I'm with Wyopoke in that it's got me a little paranoid myself.

[Badaracco610]

That is scary. I hope it all works out for you Joe.

[Wyopoke79]

Originally Posted by FM_Weasel

I'm with Wyopoke in that it's got me a little paranoid myself.

Paranoid........ these are the questions I remember most...

People are out to get you. False
Sometimes I feel like everyone wants to see me fail. False
I have failed because others made me. False
Most people get to the top by stepping on others. False
People will think i am nuts after this test because they want to see me fail. False.


I think this test is more about consistency than anything... They tell you that you can't fool the test..... but imagine if i answered the above t,f,t,f,t,f.....
I think I'd be seen as nuts.. I swear....there were times during the test that I thought....what do they want me to say.....what did i say earlier....

i was just honest though...

[FM_Weasel]

Originally Posted by Wyopoke79

i was just honest though...

Maybe we're "honestly" F'ed in the head. I hate that this is happening to folks. I hope it can be effectively appealed.

If I turn my phone off, it can't happen right?

[Wyopoke79]

Originally Posted by FM_Weasel

Maybe we're "honestly" F'ed in the head. I hate that this is happening to folks. I hope it can be effectively appealed.

If I turn my phone off, it can't happen right?

I think its an effective screen... Imagine the guy who said yes he hears voices when no one is around.... Do you want him hearing imaginary airplanes... There are certain red flags.....

Who knows.....I wonder if there is a better way to see if someone is off his rocker....

[bippoptl]

this is actually the thing im least worried about. i answered them honestly, and im pretty sure im not crazy. im more worried about them finding something during the security check that i may have forgot to put down.

[FM_Weasel]

Well the test is catching people like Joe who, I presume, does not hear voices. I think there's quite a bit of room for error in those tests, and I think it's very capable of disqualifying people with good work ethic and mental stability.

If it ends up coming back on me also, I'll be wondering why I'm crazy and never knew it (I mean besides the crazy I already know about obviously...)

The MMPI is the ONLY part I'm worried about, because it's the only part of the process I don't feel like I have some bit of control over. I know what's in my medical/personal background and what isn't.

Originally Posted by Wyopoke79

Who knows.....I wonder if there is a better way to see if someone is off his rocker....

I think that's what Psychologists are for. Oh and to answer your question about the full version of the test. It's actually more like 700 something questions. The version we took at the pepc (though still longer than the one previously used) was an abridged version.

[nathanw]

Originally Posted by FM_Weasel

I think that's what Psychologists are for. Oh and to answer your question about the full version of the test. It's actually more like 700 something questions. The version we took at the pepc (though still longer than the one previously used) was an abridged version.

Everything I've read about the test says the 567 question version is the full version. I can't find anything anywhere that references more than that.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minneso...lity_Inventory

[georgetg]

The test is actually pretty straightforward.

It's not an interview, just an assessment.

I talked to the shrink "have a seat on the couch" about the test and it is pretty interesting. The cover sheet of the MMPI offers some insight if you care to read it.
Every test taker helps calibrate the test. There are about 8 careers the test is designed for.

Your answers are graphed over something like 26 different "traits"
There is a curve for each type of career and as long as your answers fall within a reasonable band within the curve, you'll be allright.

Basically what makes a good cop doesn't necessarily make a good nuclear power plant operator.

On the other hand if you try to game the test by answering questions based on "what you think they want to hear" you will see one of those traits spike, I think it's called a K-index or something like that.

High "k-index" pretty much flags you for extra screening but doesn't mean you are unfit for the job.

The whole test is designed to "catch" test takers that are gaming the test.
I hear that former military have some difficulty with some portions of the test. The shrink seemed to think this has to do with the services desire to have conformity among the ranks....

pretty ironic conformity would bite you for an FAA test eh ;-)

Cheers
George

[Joe28]

Originally Posted by Wyopoke79

Joe....didn't you already take the long version at the pepc? It was like 567 questions...

You had me checking my caller ID just now.....

yeahhh.. that's what i was thinking, but the lady on the phone told me i took the short version of the test at the PEPC. my test was definitely 567 questions. she said i will have to take the longer one, what would that be... 1,500 questions? (just an arbitrary # i'm throwing out there)

[Joe28]

Originally Posted by FM_Weasel

Well the test is catching people like Joe who, I presume, does not hear voices. I think there's quite a bit of room for error in those tests, and I think it's very capable of disqualifying people with good work ethic and mental stability.

If it ends up coming back on me also, I'll be wondering why I'm crazy and never knew it (I mean besides the crazy I already know about obviously...)

The MMPI is the ONLY part I'm worried about, because it's the only part of the process I don't feel like I have some bit of control over. I know what's in my medical/personal background and what isn't.



I think that's what Psychologists are for. Oh and to answer your question about the full version of the test. It's actually more like 700 something questions. The version we took at the pepc (though still longer than the one previously used) was an abridged version.

yeah you know what... this really blows after graduating this semester with a 4 year degree in aviation administration. after my interview, the man said "there is no doubt in my mind you will make an excellant controller." i do not have any sort of background (a squeaky clean record) and now this. i don't know what i could have answered wrong. i'm probably thinking about it too much and hopefully there won't be a problem with re-evaluation but i was hoping for a feb / march class date. with a 10-12 week delay i don't think that will happen.

[THenne]

I am from Pubnat 1 and I went to Chicago PEPC which was in August, and I had the same situation happen to me. Let me start off with the good news, I am cleared medically now. The flight surgeon said I had no pschological diagnoses and my personality matched to become an air traffic controller. The bad news is I just got cleared on Nov. 12, so expect to wait the full 10-12 weeks. If I didn't call them, about twice a week I probably would have had to wait any longer. Also i didn't wait for the email I was jut randomly calling to check to see if my medical was cleared, and the told me I had to take the full length test. So that has added some time for you to get your clearance.

I originally did not pass the text, because I had to many positive answers, meaning that it seemed like I was trying to make myself look good. I was completely honest on the first time, but the problem was I over analyzed a lot of questions. For instance, "Have you ever lied?". I chose no, because I figured they already know everyone has lied before in there lifetime, so I took it as if they were asking if I had lied about anything that pertained to working. I haven't lied about anything at work so I said no.

Let me know if you have more questions about the process Joe. I see you are from Chicago, so you probably will wind up goin to the same location that I had my evaluation.

[Wyopoke79]

Joe, I think you are in a crappy situation. good luck to you.

As for us.....the good news is they are working on getting us to OKC...

[Joe28]

Originally Posted by THenne

I am from Pubnat 1 and I went to Chicago PEPC which was in August, and I had the same situation happen to me. Let me start off with the good news, I am cleared medically now. The flight surgeon said I had no pschological diagnoses and my personality matched to become an air traffic controller. The bad news is I just got cleared on Nov. 12, so expect to wait the full 10-12 weeks. If I didn't call them, about twice a week I probably would have had to wait any longer. Also i didn't wait for the email I was jut randomly calling to check to see if my medical was cleared, and the told me I had to take the full length test. So that has added some time for you to get your clearance.

I originally did not pass the text, because I had to many positive answers, meaning that it seemed like I was trying to make myself look good. I was completely honest on the first time, but the problem was I over analyzed a lot of questions. For instance, "Have you ever lied?". I chose no, because I figured they already know everyone has lied before in there lifetime, so I took it as if they were asking if I had lied about anything that pertained to working. I haven't lied about anything at work so I said no.

Let me know if you have more questions about the process Joe. I see you are from Chicago, so you probably will wind up goin to the same location that I had my evaluation.

i appreciate the help. i think i probably had the same problem as you... i felt i read into too many of them and related them to on the job as well. i guess i'll take my lumps and keep going.

[ohioaviator]

Originally Posted by THenne

... Also i didn't wait for the email I was jut randomly calling to check to see if my medical was cleared, and the told me I had to take the full length test. So that has added some time for you to get your clearance.

Does anyone know what number to call to check on our medicals?

[THenne]

Originally Posted by ohioaviator

Does anyone know what number to call to check on our medicals?

http://www.faa.gov/licenses_certific...ification/rfs/

Choose whatever region your TOL is in, and it will give you a direct number to the FAA Aerospace Medicine division of that region.

[Joe28]

Thenne, do you have a FOL yet?

[Guire]

Guess what... I also failed the MMPI. Just got the call a little while ago.

What is it with Chicagoland that we can't clear this thing? Something in our water? Maybe it's got something to do with our politics and elected officials. I don't know.

While disappointing, and it's kind of a pain to have to go through with these additional steps, I'm not too down about it. For starters, I believe I have the exact same problem THenne has... Being honest yet too good by over analyzing the test through an overly professional eye. That, and the occasional contradiction, yet equally truthful (I don't get embarrassed easily, true, case in point, look at what I'm doing here, talking about failing a test that's supposedly impossible to fail; I am usually comfortable talking about sex, false, this is where I draw the "too much information" line, yet it's supposed to suppliment the question about embarrassing easily.)