NCJ Number
69535
Journal
Journal of Psychiatry and Law Volume: 6 Issue: 4 Dated: (WINTER 1978) Pages: 453-480
Date Published
1979
Length
28 pages
Annotation
THIS CRITICAL EXAMINATION OF THE USE OF THE MINNESOTA MULTIPHASIC PERSONALITY INVENTORY (MMPI) IN CRIMINOLOGY CONCLUDES THAT THE INSTRUMENT IS FREQUENTLY BEING USED INAPPROPRIATELY.
Abstract
THE MMPI CONSISTS OF 566 SHORT SENTENCES DESIGNED TO SHOW THE EXAMINER WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT THEMSELVES OR HOW THEY DESCRIBE THEMSELVES. A FREQUENT MISTAKE IN MMPI USE IS THE OVERESTIMATION OF THE RANGE OF APPROPRIATE SITUATIONS OF MMPI APPLICABILITY AND OF THE CERTAINTY OR VALIDITY OF MMPI DESCRIPTIONS (TEST RESULTS). THE GROUPS USED TO DETERMINE STANDARDS OF NORMALCY AND ABNORMALCY IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TEST INCLUDED RELATIVES AND FRIENDS OF PHYSICALLY ILL PERSONS, PRECOLLEGE AND COLLEGE STUDENTS SEEKING VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE, SKILLED WORKERS, AND PHYSICALLY ILL PATIENTS. INTERPRETATION OF MMPI RESULTS IS A COMPLEX PROCESS. THE TEST IS USEFUL IN THE APPROPRIATE SETTING ONLY, IT IS BEING WIDELY USED IN CRIMINOLOGY, EXAMPLES ARE ITS USE IN POLICE OFFICER APPLICANT SCREENING AND PROMOTION AND DECISIONS IN CRIMINAL AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS CASES. THE MMPI HAS NOT BEEN ADEQUATELY VALIDATED FOR THESE PURPOSES, HOWEVER AND PREDICTIVE VALIDITY STUDIES FOR SUCH USE HAVE NOT BEEN ESTABLISHED. FOR INSTANCE, DIFFICULTIES ARISE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO APPLY A STATISTICAL RATIONALE BASED ON DATA ACQUIRED FROM ONE CULTURAL GROUP TO ANOTHER CULTURAL GROUP, OR FROM ONE SET OF DEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES TO ANOTHER. PROBLEMS ALSO ARISE WHEN THE MMPI IS NOT ADMINISTERED UNDER CONDITIONS IN WHICH SOMEONE IS SEEKING MEDICAL OR VOCATIONAL ASSISTANCE, AS WAS THE CASE WHEN THE TEST WAS DEVELOPED. CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM PERSONNEL MUST RECOGNIZE THAT THE MMPI IS BEING USED FOR PURPOSES THAT ARE NOT CONSISTENT WITH ITS CONSTRUCTION AND STANDARDIZATION. THE TEST SEEMS TO BE VERY USEFUL IN ROUGH PSYCHIATRIC SCREENING OF CAUCASIAN ADULTS WHO ARE VOLUNTARILY SEEKING PROFESSIONAL HELP FOR PROBLEMS OF PERSONAL ADJUSTMENT, BUT ITS VALID INTERPRETATION BECOMES INCREASINGLY OBSCURE WHEN THE SITUATION CHANGES. FIFTY-NINE REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED.