NCJ Number
197794
Journal
Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology Volume: 17 Issue: 2 Dated: Fall 2002 Pages: 54-62
Date Published
2002
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This study examined the predictive validity of the MMPI-2 content scales in differentiating successful small-town police officers from unsuccessful officers in such jurisdictions, using supervisory ratings.
Abstract
The MMPI-2 was published in 1989, partly in response to concerns that some items on the MMPI were dated, ambiguous, objectionable, narrow, and personally intrusive (Ben-Porath, 1990). In order to supplement information available from the clinical and validity scales of the MMPI, the MMPI-2 content scales were developed by using both rational and statistical methods to group items based on subject. Participants in the current study were 96 police officers (83 males and 13 females) employed in various police and sheriff's departments in Vermont. All of the officers in the sample had available MMPI-2 scores and had worked sufficiently long to receive at least one performance evaluation. Supervisory personnel had rated officers within the first 6 years of active duty. The officer was classified as "unsuccessful" if his/her overall performance was labeled unsatisfactory or below average; the officer was rated "successful" if overall performance was rated as average, above average, or outstanding. There were 82 "successful" and 14 "unsuccessful" officers. Using overall performance as a grouping variable, t-tests were performed to determine whether the successful and unsuccessful officers differed on their mean content scale scores. The hypothesis that the MMPI-2 profiles of successful and unsuccessful police officers would differ significantly was not generally supported. This study shows that the content scales do not add to the screening ability of standard assessment tools such as the interview, background investigation, polygraph, and the clinical MMPI-2 scales, which are already used by Vermont and many other law enforcement agencies; however, further study is warranted before making a final conclusion about the usefulness of the content scales in police officer screening and selection. 1 table and 23 references