MMPI-2 validity scale characteristics in a correctional sample

Assessment. 2003 Sep;10(3):288-98. doi: 10.1177/1073191103255623.

Abstract

The current study investigated the proportion of content-nonresponsive and content-responsive faking Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) protocols in a state corrections sample. Participants were 51,486 inmates who completed the MMPI-2 at the time they entered the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction system. Overall, approximately 79% of the study participants produced valid profiles. Of the entire study sample, 11.3% produced content-nonresponsive profiles, and 9.4% produced content-responsive faking profiles. African Americans produced a higher proportion of content-nonresponsive profiles than Caucasians, and women were slightly more likely than men to produce content-responsive faking profiles. Differences in level of education between African Americans and Caucasians did not account for the disparity in content-nonresponsive profiles. Implications for current practice and future research are discussed.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Black or African American
  • Educational Status
  • Female
  • Humans
  • MMPI*
  • Male
  • Prisoners / psychology*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sex Factors
  • White People