NCJ Number
218293
Journal
Criminal Justice and Behavior: An International Journal Volume: 34 Issue: 4 Dated: April 2007 Pages: 493-504
Date Published
April 2007
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This study compared the effectiveness of the Criminal Offender Infrequency (Fc) scale with seven other Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2) Infrequency scales in their effectiveness of detecting malingering.
Abstract
Results obtained from the Fc were the most effective at predicting malingering when compared with all the other MMPI-2 scales under examination. The high predictive value of the Fc suggests that it may be the best scale to use to screen for malingering among criminal samples and would thus be a useful addition to the MMPI-2. Archival evaluation data, which included the use of the MMPI-2 and the Structured Interview of Reported Symptoms (SIRS) on 46 male inmates, was obtained from the U.S. Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, MO, and from the Federal Medical Center in Lexington, KY. The analysis grouped the participants based on their SIRS results: (1) feigning; (2) honest; and (3) indeterminate. Preliminary analyses tested for demographic differences between the groups. Next, prediction accuracy analyses were conducted for the MMPI-2 scales regarding their effectiveness at differentiating honest from feigning participants. Future research should continue to probe the effectiveness of the Fc scale with criminal populations. Tables, figures, references