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CROSS-VALIDATION OF MMPI (MINNESOTA MULTIPHASIC PERSONALITY INVENTORY) SCALES OF AGGRESSION ON MALE CRIMINAL CRITERION GROUPS

NCJ Number
64935
Journal
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology Volume: 42 Issue: 2 Dated: (1974) Pages: 196-202
Author(s)
T E DEIKER
Date Published
1974
Length
7 pages
Annotation
SEVERAL PERSONALITY AND AGGRESSION TESTS WERE CROSS-VALIDATED FOR 168 MALE CRIMINALS ASSIGNED TO FOUR AGGRESSIVE CRITERION GROUPS.
Abstract
IN 1966, MEGARGEE POINTED OUT THAT THE EFFECT OF CONTROL ON OVERT AGGRESSION IS NOT ONLY OF THEORETICAL INTEREST, BUT WOULD ALSO DETERMINE MANAGEMENT AND REHABILITATION EFFORTS FOR AGGRESSIVE INDIVIDUALS. IN ADDITION TO ORGANIZING AND REPEATING EXPERIMENTAL SCALES OF HOSTILITY AND CONTROL OF MORE CLEARLY DEFINED CRITERION GROUPS, THIS STUDY EXAMINE MEGARGEE'S CONCLUSION IN THE LIGHT OF POSSIBLE RESPONSE-BIAS EFFECTS INFLUENCING THE REVERSALS. THE TESTS CROSS-VALIDATED WERE THE 13 BASIC MINNESOTA MULTIPHASIC PERSONALITY INVENTORY (MMPI) SCALES, 21 EXPERIMENTAL SCALES OF HOSTILITY AND CONTROL, AND 4 RESPONSE-BIAS SCALES. THE FOUR CRIMINAL GROUPS STUDIED WERE BASED ON OPERATIONAL CRITERIA--CONTROL CRIMINALS WITH VARIOUS CRIMES OF PROPERTY, THREAT CRIMINALS WITH CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS NOT RESULTING IN INJURY, BATTERY CRIMINALS WITH CRIMES OF VIOLENCE, AND HOMICIDE CRIMINALS. ALL BUT ONE OF THE 17 HOSTILITY SCALES SHOWING GROUP DIFFERENCES CONFIRMED MEGARGEE'S PREDICTION OF LOWER SCORES ON HOSTILITY MEASURES AND HIGHER SCORES ON CONTROL FOR AGGRESSIVE INDIVIDUALS. THE SCALE, HOSTILITY CONTROL, DID SHOW AGGRESSIVE CRIMINALS AS HAVING LESS CONTROL THAT NONVIOLENT CRIMINALS. RESULTS WOULD APPEAR TO ARGUE STRONGLY FOR MEGARGEE'S PREDICTIONS. HOWEVER, ANOTHER INTERPRETATION IN TERMS OF A NAYSAYING RESPONSE STYLE IN THE AGGRESSIVE GROUPS ACCOUNTED FOR ALL GROUP DIFFERENCES. BALANCING OF ITEM SCORING ON EXPERIMENTAL MMPI SCALES WAS SUGGESTED UNTIL SUCH TIME AS THE ISSUE OF ACQUIESCENCE RESPONSE STYLE ON TRUE AND FALSE TESTS IS RESOLVED. REFERENCES ARE GIVEN. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--MJW)

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