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PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS OF AGED INMATES WITHIN A STATE PRISON POPULATION

NCJ Number
41435
Journal
OFFENDER REHABILITATION Volume: 1 Issue: 2 Dated: (WINTER 1976-1977) Pages: 203-208
Author(s)
J H PANTON
Date Published
1977
Length
6 pages
Annotation
THIS STUDY EXAMINED WHETHER PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS OF AGED MALE INMATES 60 YEARS AND ABOVE ARE DIFFERENT IN ANY WAY FROM THOSE OF A MALE STATE PRISON POPULATION AS A WHOLE.
Abstract
AN ANALYSIS OF MINNESOTA MULTIPHASIC PERSONALITY INVENTORY (MMPI) TEST DIFFERENCES BETWEEN A SAMPLE OF 120 AGED INMATES AND A REPRESENTATIVE POPULATION SAMPLE OF 2,551 MALE INMATES IN NORTH CAROLINA REVEALED THAT THE MEAN TEST PROFILES OF BOTH GROUPS WERE INDICATIVE OF A BEHAVIOR DISORDER, WITH THE AGED INMATES PRESENTING MORE NEUROTIC AND LESS PSYCHOPATHIC RESPONSES THAN SHOWN BY THE INMATE POPULATION SAMPLE. THIS LESSER PSYCHOPATHY IMPLIES FOR THE AGED INMATE LESS ANTISOCIAL HOSTILITY THAN SHOWN IN PAST BEHAVIOR AND POSSIBLY REFLECTS LESS ACTING OUT DURING PRISON INCARCERATION. AS A GROUP, THE AGED INMATES DID NOT PRESENT A MEAN PROFILE OF SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE PROBABILITY OF RECEIVING BENEFIT FROM PSYCHOTHERAPY OR COUNSELING APPEARS TO BE MORE FAVORABLE FOR THE AGED INMATES, HOWEVER, THE AGED INMATES MAY BE DEMANDING OF THE COUNSELOR OR THERAPIST, PRESENTING NUMEROUS CHRONIC COMPLAINTS. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED....ELW