Predicting with the MMPI the adjustment of juvenile delinquents to institutionalization: does gender make a difference?
Relationships between Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) scales and criteria were evaluated to determine if the MMPI is gender biased when considering a juvenile delinquent population. The MMPI was administered to 549 juvenile delinquents: 105 Black men, 37 Black women, 331 White men, and 76 White women. In addition, behavioral and rating measures were collected; they served as adjustment criteria. Except for the criterion assessing neurotic symptomatology, equations that regressed criteria on MMPI scales neither underpredicted nor overpredicted for a gender. The MMPI tended to underpredict ratings of neurotic symptomatology for women. Significant differences in correlation coefficients for Black men and women occurred for the behavioral, nonrating criteria. Scale 4 was the best predictor for Black men, whereas Scales, 8, F, 1, and 2 tended to be the best predictors for Black women. Some possible explanations for these results are offered.
Boone
D
D
University of Kansas.
Green
S B
SB
D000293:Adolescent; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D015982:Bias; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D007326:Institutionalization; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008950:MMPI / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D011330:Prisons; D011594:Psychometrics; D012917:Social Adjustment; D014040:Token Economy