Incremental validity of WISC-III profile elevation, scatter, and shape information for predicting reading and math achievement

The use of cognitive subtest profiles to hypothesize about children's learning strengths and weaknesses implicitly assumes that subtest profiles are predictive of academic performance. To test this assumption, Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition (WISC-III) subtest profiles were decomposed into elevation, scatter, and shape components and sequentially regressed onto reading and math achievement scores for 1,118 nonexceptional and 538 exceptional students. Profile elevation was statistically and practically significant for both exceptional (R = .36-.61) and nonexceptional (R = .72-.75) students. Profile scatter did not aid in the prediction of achievement. Profile shape accounted for an additional 5%-8% of the variance in achievement measures. It was concluded that using WISC-III subtest scatter and shape to predict academic performance was not supported by the accumulated scientific evidence.     

MMPI profiles of problem peace officers

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) profiles of officers who had been involved in serious disciplinary actions were compared with those of a matched group of officers who had not been involved in such actions. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) found the profiles of the two groups to be significantly different, with Scales F, 5, 6, and 9 significantly higher and Scale L significantly lower for the problem group. In addition, subjects in the problem group were twice as likely to have a high-point elevation T-score greater than or equal to 70 as their nonproblem counterparts. Overall, these results indicate that any degree of psychopathology, as reflected by MMPI profile elevations, increases the likelihood of serious job performance problems. In addition, a presentation of self as conventional and moderately defended is associated with a lesser likelihood of job difficulty, whereas characteristics such as hypersensitivity, impulsivity, and poor frustration tolerance contribute to significant job problems.     

MMPI profiles of adolescent substance abusers in treatment

The non-K-corrected MMPI profiles of 243 adolescents presenting themselves for chemical dependency treatment in a residential setting were examined. Results suggested a general lack of psychopathology in this population, although a significant elevation on the Pd scale did emerge. These data are compared to the findings of previous studies with both adolescent and adult populations.     

MMPI profiles of women in codependency treatment.

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) profiles of 73 women presenting themselves for treatment of codependency in a 10-day residential setting were examined. Results suggest a significant amount of psychopathology to be present in this population. More than 50% of these individuals produced clinically significant elevations of five or more scales, and 38% produced elevations on six or more scales.     

MMPI profiles of adolescents charged with homicide

Study of adolescent violence has been impeded by failure to distinguish among the circumstances in which youth engage in violent behavior. The present study investigated MMPI profiles of 36 adolescent murderers and a control group of 18 adolescents charged with larceny. Homicide cases were subgrouped into those who committed homicide secondary to another crime (e.g., robbery or rape) and those who acted in the context of interpersonal conflict with the victim. While there were no significant differences between homicide and larceny groups, crime and conflict subgroups were significantly different on scales F, Hs, Hy, and Sc.     

MMPI inmate profiles: suicide completers, suicide attempters, and non-suicidal controls

Results from the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) were compared for three groups of male inmates in federal penitentiaries: 47 suicide completers, 43 suicide attempters and, 123 non-suicidal controls. Analyses show that the groups differed on all 10 clinical scales and on at least 8 after Bonferroni correction. Attempters obtained the highest scores on 4 of 8 scales; they also posted the highest scores on 3 others, but differences were significant only against non-suicidal controls. Completers posted the highest score on only one scale (Mf), but the difference was significant only against non-suicidal controls. All told, completers proved more similar to non-suicidal controls than to attempters. Regarding profiles, completers are more strongly correlated with non-suicidal controls (r=0.95) than with attempters (r=0.86); non-suicidal controls are less strongly correlated with attempters (r=0.88). The fact that attempters seem more pathological than the others can mislead clinicians screening for suicide risk.     

Murder and criminal responsibility: An examination of MMPI profiles

The clinical forensic applications of the MMPI in: (1) the identification of violent behavior, including murder, and (2) the determination of sanity, is briefly reviewed. Samples of evaluatees charged with murder were obtained in Chicago and Toledo, and were examined for differences on MMPI profiles for evaluatees clinically determined to be sane versus insane. Further comparisons were made between these evaluatees and a group of treated patients previously found not guilty by reason of insanity for murder. Results suggested that the MMPI is limited in its discriminability between sane and insane evaluatees, and specifically questioned the usefulness of certain profiles in rendering sanity opinions. The MMPI did demonstrate expected differences between insane evaluatees and their treated counterparts.     

The influence of elevated F scales on the validity of adolescent MMPI profiles

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventories (MMPI) of adolescent outpatients were examined to determine whether characteristically elevated F scales indicated an exaggeration of psychopathology. A treatment condition designed to reduce the motivation to exaggerate psychopathology did not lower scores of the F and F-K indices when subjects were administered a second MMPI. Similarly, actuarial interpretations for the second protocols were not more frequently selected by therapists as more valid, regardless of treatment condition and elevation of the F and F-K indices on the first MMPI profile. Elevations of Scales F, Pd/4, and Sc/8 characterized the adolescent MMPI profiles.     

Recent adolescent MMPI norms: T-score elevation comparisons to Marks and Briggs

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) norms developed by Marks and Briggs (1967/1972) have served as the standard adolescent norms used for over 10 years. Additional adolescent norms have recently been produced by Gottesman, Hanson, Kroeker, and Briggs (1987) and by Colligan and Offord (1989), thereby providing MMPI users with a potential choice of adolescent norms. Our study examines the effects of these adolescent norm sets on single-scale and profile elevations. In addition, we examine the ability of these norm sets to generate T-score values that would serve to discriminate accurately among adolescents in outpatient (n = 100), inpatient (n = 100), and normal (n = 100) settings. Results indicated that the choice of adolescent norms resulted in important differences in profile elevation. Findings from the discriminant function analyses, however, indicated that these normative sets were roughly equivalent in discriminating among adolescents in the three settings.