NCJ Number
186855
Journal
Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology Volume: 15 Issue: 1 Dated: Spring 2000 Pages: 1-9
Editor(s)
William U. Weiss Dr.
Date Published
2000
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This study compared pre-employment and current scores of Texas municipal police officers on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) to assess longitudinal personality changes.
Abstract
The study sample included 23 veteran police officers in a mid-size Texas city and 19 veteran police officers in a small Texas city. The MMPI was used in the pre-employment testing of a number of study participants. Pre-employment MMPI information was compared to current MMPI data to investigate the effects of tenure on police officer personality functioning. Findings showed that, compared to pre-employment MMPI scores, current MMPI scores for the combined sample of police officers increased significantly on scales related to hypochondriasis, depression, hysteria, psychopathic deviance, paranoia, psychasthenia, schizophrenia, and social introversion. Only one police officer in each city sample produced scores indicating significant psychopathology. Small city police officer scores increased significantly from pre-employment scores on scales related to hypochondriasis, depression, conversion hysteria, psychopathic deviance, and schizophrenia, while mid-size police officer scores increased significantly from pre-employment scores on scales related to hypochondriasis, depression, paranoia, and social introversion. The authors conclude police officers may have a greater tendency to develop and/or express potentially maladaptive characteristics due to the pressures associated with a career that requires them to assume responsibility for controlling dangerous and emotional situations while remaining emotionally controlled themselves. 27 references and 3 tables