MMPI-A scores and high points of male juvenile delinquents: scales 4, 5, and 6 as markers of juvenile delinquency.
The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Adolescent (MMPI-A) clinical, supplementary, and content scale score patterns for 655 male delinquents were examined. Low scores on Scale 5 (Masculinity/Femininity) were found to be the most frequent deviation, followed by elevations on Scales 6 (Paranoia) and 4 (Psychopathic Deviate). This is consistent with previous research, although the importance of Scale 5 deviations has been little noted because of the traditional focus on scale elevations only. Classification analysis indicated that a combination of MMPI-A scales discriminated between this delinquent sample and the normative sample, with a sensitivity of 90%-95% and a specificity of 80%-85%. This level of sensitivity was maintained in a replication sample (N = 473).
Morton
Todd L
TL
Upstate Evaluation Center, 1585 Jonesville Highway, Union, South Carolina 29379, USA. tlmort@djj.state.sc.us
Farris
Kelly L
KL
Brenowitz
Lisa H
LH
D000293:Adolescent; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology*; D008950:MMPI / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results