Construct validity of the MacAndrew Scale: secondary psychopathic and dysthymic-neurotic character orientations among adolescent male misdemeanor offenders.
The empirical validity of the MacAndrew Scale was investigated in 200 adolescent males convicted of misdemeanor offenses who were classified according to their pattern of alcohol intoxication. Classification results were comparable to those from studies of adult men--true positive = 80%, false negative = 20%, true negative = 81% and false positive = 19%. An empirical cluster analysis of factor scores from the California Psychological Inventory yielded 14 personality types. About 56% of these cases resembled two character orientations (Emotional Extraversion or Emotional Introversion) that were hypothesized by MacAndrew to mediate addiction-proneness among males. However, 38.7% of these subjects were not alcohol misusers. The hypothesis that Emotional Introverts tend to be classified as false negatives was not supported--true positive = 79% and false negative = 21%. Although MacAndrew's formulation of two character orientations has heuristic value, the present study found alcohol misuse among adolescents with other personality characteristics. Studies of nonoffender adolescent males were recommended to clarify the MacAndrew Scale's sensitivity to the character orientation Emotional Introvert. Consistent with earlier research, the present study found no evidence of high levels of emotional tension in the form of anxiety or depression among adolescent alcohol misusers.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000150:complications; D002605:Character; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D009497:Neurotic Disorders / Q000150:complications; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011594:Psychometrics