Law Enforcement Selection With the Interview, MMPI (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory), and CPI (California Psychological Inventory) - A Study of Reliability and Validity

• NCJ Number: 106007
• Journal: Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 15 Issue: 2 Dated: (June 1987) Pages: 110-117
• Author(s): G E Hargrave; D Hiatt
• Date Published: 1987
• Length: 8 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

The relative contributions and reliability of the components of the psychological screening process were evaluated in data for 105 police cadets.

Abstract

Subjects were administered the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), the California Psychological Inventory (CPI), a life history questionnaire, and interviews by two psychologists. Psychologists them made evaluations of suitability based on test and interview information alone and combined. Ratings of suitability were then related to performance measures. Clinicians significantly agreed on ratings of psychological attributes whether ratings were based on test, interview, or both. There was greater agreement of ratings of overall suitability than ratings of psychological attributes. Raters weighed the interview more heavily in assessing personal and intellectual characteristics and weighed the test and interview data relatively equally in assessing personality characteristics. Finally, significant differences between successful and unsuccessful cadets were found on two MMPI scales and 3 CPI scales. 5 tables and 29 references.