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The compatibility of the MMPI-2 with the Megargee Criminal Classification System: A hierarchical cluster study
Abstract
This investigation assessed the compatibility of the recently developed MMPI-2 with the Megargee MMPI-based system for classifying criminal offenders. The Megargee System is based on the hierarchical cluster analysis of inmate MMPI test profiles which empirically determined naturally occurring subgroups among the offender population. Thus, for the MMPI-2 to replace the MMPI as the foundation of this classification system, a sufficient degree of continuity between the original and revised inventories was deemed necessary relative to the statistical procedure upon which the various Megargee offender groups were derived. This study, therefore, entailed a comparative analysis of two sets of same-subject MMPI and MMPI-2 test profiles that were each subjected to Ward's hierarchical clustering procedure. Discrepant results were noted between the two measures in terms of the numbers, types, proportions, and subject grouping patterns among the derived MMPI and MMPI-2 clusters. Specifically, compared with the MMPI, the MMPI-2 cluster set contained fewer overall offender groups, with types Delta, Easy, and Foxtrot failing to replicate. Of the groups that were similarly replicated across both MMPI and MMPI-2 cluster sets, all were proportionally different between the original and revised instruments, with offender type Item displaying a dramatic increase in frequency among the MMPI-2 profile set. The differential results of the two cluster analyses were attributed to the MMPI-2's lower overall profile elevation as well as to incongruency of code type and/or general scale configurational pattern in comparison to the original MMPI. The revised inventory's utilization of uniform T-scores was also posted as a lesser influencing factor relative to the discrepant clustering results. The overall findings reflect important differences between the MMPI and MMPI-2 relative to the latter's unqualified application with the Megargee Criminal Classification System. Cautious use of the MMPI-2 with the Megargee System was recommended until additional research can be conducted.
Subject Area
Psychological tests|Personality|Criminology
Recommended Citation
Cole, Eric Scott, "The compatibility of the MMPI-2 with the Megargee Criminal Classification System: A hierarchical cluster study" (1991). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI9211464.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI9211464