10 Hours / 10 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on the Use of the MMPI-A-RF in Juvenile Forensic Psychological Evaluations is presented by Martin Sellbom, PhD. This badge-earning program can be shared digitally on platforms like LinkedIn or your resume and counts towards a certificate. Enroll in this program to earn credit towards Juvenile Forensic Assessment Certificate and share your new digital credentials with prospective employers and colleagues.

This is an introductory level program to the 241-item version of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Adolescent (MMPI-A), the MMPI-A Restructured Form (MMPI-A-RF). Focusing on psychological work in juvenile forensic settings, this program discusses the rationale for and methods used to develop the MMPI-A-RF, the various sources to score and interpret the test, the psychometric functioning of its scales, and interpretive recommendations. Moreover, a substantial portion of time is devoted to applications of the MMPI-A-RF in Juvenile Court evaluations. Furthermore, some topics of particular importance in forensic evaluations (e.g., malingering) from a personality assessment perspective are discussed in detail. The program also discusses how to defend MMPI-A-RF interpretations in court for general purposes of use, with an emphasis on Daubert and Frye's challenges. Finally, participants will have an opportunity to practice the recommended strategy for MMPI-A-RF interpretation with case examples.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

  • 1 Describe the rationale for, and methods used in, the development of the MMPI-A-RF
  • 2 Describe the 42 MMPI-A-RF Validity and Substantive scales
  • 3 Describe when to administer the MMPI-A-RF
  • 4 Describe the psychometric properties of MMPI-A-RF scale scores
  • 5 Describe the various score reports available for the MMPI-A-RF
  • 6 Describe the interpretation strategy for the MMPI-A-RF
  • 7 Describe the forensic-correctional comparison group for the MMPI-A-RF
  • 8 Describe how to address challenges of admissibility in court hearings
  • 9 Describe how to assess for over- and under-reporting with the MMPI-A-RF validity scales
  • 10 Describe MMPI-A-RF findings to addressing questions raised in juvenile delinquency hearings

  • Intended Audience

    This training is designed for psychologists and related professionals seeking to deepen their expertise in forensic and clinical assessment, with a particular focus on the MMPI-A-RF. It is relevant for those working in forensic psychology, juvenile justice, correctional psychology, clinical assessment, and related fields, as well as professionals in criminal justice, security, health care, social services, education, and human resources who wish to enhance their understanding and application of the MMPI-A-RF in their practice.

    Examples of Relevant Professionals:
    • Psychologists
    • Forensic Psychologists
    • Correctional Psychologists
    • Clinical Psychologists
    • Mental Health Professionals
    • Juvenile Justice Professionals
    • Private Practice Clinicians
    • Criminal Justice Professionals
    • Security Professionals
    • Health Care Professionals
    • Social Services Professionals
    • Education Professionals
    • Human Resources Professionals

  • Experience Level

    This introductory-level program is appropriate for a range of experience levels among licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals.

    • Beginner: Participants with little or no prior experience with the MMPI-A or MMPI-A-RF, or with limited exposure to personality assessment in juvenile forensic settings.

    • Intermediate: Participants with some experience administering or interpreting personality assessments, or those familiar with forensic mental health evaluations but new to the MMPI-A-RF.

    • Advanced: Participants with substantial experience in forensic personality assessment and prior use of the MMPI-A or MMPI-A-RF in juvenile court settings, seeking to deepen their expertise in advanced interpretive strategies and court testimony.

  • Practice Setting

    Practitioners work in structured, policy-driven environments that conduct adolescent psychological and forensic evaluations within multidisciplinary teams and legal systems. Day-to-day work emphasizes standardized testing with the MMPI-A-RF, risk and malingering assessment, evidence-based interpretation, and clear reporting and testimony consistent with Daubert/Frye standards. Services focus on justice-involved youth and related referral questions, from pre-adjudication screenings to dispositional and treatment-planning evaluations.


    Examples of Practice Settings:
    • Juvenile court clinics
    • Youth detention centers and probation departments
    • Correctional mental health services
    • Forensic assessment units in hospitals
    • Community mental health centers
    • Private forensic practices
    • School-based evaluation services
    • Child welfare and social service agencies
    • Integrated behavioral health in primary care
    • Law enforcement/security threat assessment programs
    • University training clinics with forensic referrals
    • HR pre-employment/fitness-for-duty programs
Presented By

Martin Sellbom, PhD

Martin Sellbom is a Professor in the School of Psychological Sciences at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. He received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology in 2007 from Kent State University (USA). His research focuses on personality disorders, contemporary psychopathology models, and personality assessment with the MMPI instruments. Professor Sellbom's work has been featured in over 300 publications that includes four books, including the forthcoming (co-authored with Dustin Wygant) Forensic Mental Health Assessments using the MMPI-3. He has won several awards, including the American Psychological Foundation’s Theodore Millon mid-career award for advancing personality science, American Psychology-Law Society’s Saleem Shah Award and Society for Personality Assessment’s Samuel and Anne Beck Award for early career achievement. Professor Sellbom serves as the Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Personality Assessment. For his clinical practice, he specializes in forensic psychological evaluations.



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CE Sponsorship Information

Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by, recognized by, or maintains sponsorship provider status with the following boards and agencies. We maintain responsibility for all content in our CE/CPD programs. For more information, visit here. 

  1. American Psychological Association (APA): Approved sponsor of continuing education for psychologists.

  2. Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB): Approved continuing education provider (ACE program, Provider #1480), 11/22/2023–11/22/2026.

  3. Canadian Psychological Association (CPA): Approved to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.

  4. National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC): Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP No. 7190).

Sponsorship Approval Statements

Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7190. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Palo Alto University, #1480, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. Palo Alto University maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period 11/22/23-11/22/26. Social workers completing this course receive (clinical or social work ethics) continuing education credits. Continuing and Professional Studies, Palo Alto University, is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0103. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0356. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies, is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0073.