Use of the MMPI and its derived scales with sex offenders: I. Reliability and validity studies

Abstract

A number of MMPI derived scales were examined for their utility in the clinical assessment of sex offenders and for their ability to discriminate sex offenders from controls. The MMPIs from a total of 479 men were scored for scales measuring sexual behavior and deviance, substance abuse, personality, violence, suicide-proneness, defensiveness and brain damage. Each scale was examined for its internal consistency, using Cronbach's Alpha. Of the 125 scales examined, 70% had alphas greater than 0.60 and 80% discriminated sex offenders from controls at a better than chance level. Most scales were free of bias from age, education, IQ, and the MMPI L, F, and K Scales. The MMPI and its derived scales appear to be useful in screening of sex offenders and in evaluating their other problems which play a major role in their crimes.