NCJ Number
219419
Journal
Journal of Forensic Psychology Practice Volume: 6 Issue: 4 Dated: 2006 Pages: 27-42
Date Published
2006
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This study examined whether socially desirable responding (SDR) was a factor that reduced the construct and predictive validity of self-reported criminal histories and predictions of violence and risk for future criminal behavior.
Abstract
The study found that SDR was not a factor that undermined construct or predictive validity in self-reports of crime. Based on the current study and the findings of other recent research SDR in self-report assessments was not significant in determining self-report outcomes. Participants were 76 male offenders sentenced to between 2 and 6 years for various violent offenses, excluding sexual offenses. The mean age of the sample was 27.9 years. Two rating scales were used. The Level of Service Inventory-Revised, which was initially designed for offender classification, consists of 54 items grouped into 10 subscales: Criminal History, Education/employment, Finances, Family/Marital, Accommodations, Leisure/Recreation, Companions, Alcohol/Drug, Emotional/Personal, and Attitude/Orientation. The second rating scale Antisocial Orientation Ratings was designed to indicate construct validity for the Basic Personality Inventory (BPI), a self-report measure of psychopathology. In addition to the BPI, another self-report scale administered to the sample was the Self-Report Inventory, which solicits information on a variety of subjects, including crimes committed, education/employment, companions, and other personal information. Another self-report scale, the Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding, measures a person's tendency to provide responses he/she believes are socially desirable by mainstream values. Postrelease measures addressed new convictions for violence and total convictions for a followup period of 6 years. 1 table, 1 figure, and 45 references