Cross-Validation of the Megargee MMPI Typology

Abstract

To determine the applicability of the Megargee MMPI-based typology to inmates in specialized correctional treatment programs, two samples of inmates were obtained from the Butner Federal Correctional Institution: The first consisted of adult males attending the mental health unit, the second of violent males housed in the research unit. Subjects were classified, and all ten of Megargee's profile types were found in each sample. (1) Significant differences were found between the two samples in the proportion to various types identified; (2) among types in each sample in number and types of Grayson (1957) critical items endorsed; (3) among types in each sample in their Harris-Lingoes (1955) subscale elevations; and (4) among the mental health types in terms of their psychiatric diagnoses. A number of differences between corresponding types identified in each sample were noted. Results are compared with previous research findings and suggestions for future investigations are provided.

The applicability and utility of the MMPI‐based offender classification system in a correctional mental health unit

“…Table 1 summarises the proportions reported in the literature for 21 general population samples totalling 5881 male prisoners (Baum, 1981;Carey, Garske & Ginsberg, 1986;Cassady, 1978, as cited by Zager, 1988Edinger, Reuterfors & Logue, 1982;Gearing, 1981;Howell & Geiselman, 1978, as cited by Zager, 1988Johnson, Simmons & Gordon, 1983;Megargee & Bohn with Meyer & Sink, 1979;Mrad, 1979;Nichols, 1980;Schaffer, Edwards & Pettigrew, 1981;Simmons, Johnson, Gouvier & Muzyczka, 1981;Van Voorhis, 1988;Walters, 1986;Walters, Mann, Miller, Hemphill & Chlumsky, 1988;Walters, Scrapansky & Marrlow, 1986). Table 1 summarises the proportions reported in the literature for 21 general population samples totalling 5881 male prisoners (Baum, 1981;Carey, Garske & Ginsberg, 1986;Cassady, 1978, as cited by Zager, 1988Edinger, Reuterfors & Logue, 1982;Gearing, 1981;Howell & Geiselman, 1978, as cited by Zager, 1988Johnson, Simmons & Gordon, 1983;Megargee & Bohn with Meyer & Sink, 1979;Mrad, 1979;Nichols, 1980;Schaffer, Edwards & Pettigrew, 1981;Simmons, Johnson, Gouvier & Muzyczka, 1981;Van Voorhis, 1988;Walters, 1986;Walters, Mann, Miller, Hemphill & Chlumsky, 1988;Walters, Scrapansky & Marrlow, 1986<...>…”

“…Edinger et al (1982) compared the MMPI types in their MHU sample on the incidence of crimes against per~ sons and on their psychiatric diagnoses. Edinger et al (1982) compared the MMPI types in their MHU sample on the incidence of crimes against per~ sons and on their psychiatric diagnoses.…”

Using the Megargee MMPI-based classification system with MMPI-2s of male prison inmates.

“…The MMPI-based system has been used with a wide variety of offenders, including prisoners confined in federal correctional institutions (Craig, 1980; Edinger, 1979; Edinger & Auerbach, 1978; Edinger, Reuterfors, & Logue, 1982; Hanson, Moss, Hosford, & Johnson, 1983; Louscher, Hosford, & Moss, 1983; Miller, 1978; Simmons, Johnson, Gouvier, & Muzyczka, 1981; Van Voorhis, 1988; Walters, Mann, Miller, Hemphill, & Chlumsky, 1988), military prisons (Walters, 1986; Walters, Scrapansky, & Marrlow, 1986; Walters et al, 1988), state prisons (Booth & Howell, 1980; Edinger, 1979; Gearing, 1981; Miller, 1978; Nichols, 1980; Schaffer, Edwards, & Pettigrew, 1981; Walters et al, 1988; Wright, 1988), halfway houses (Motiuk, Bonta, & Andrews, 1986; Mrad, 1979; Mrad, Kabacoff, & Duckro, 1983), community restitution centers (Howell & Geiselman, 1978, as cited in Zager, 1988), and local jails (Cassady, 1978, as cited in Zager, 1988). Specialized populations to which the system has been applied include presidential threateners (Megargee, 1986), prisoners in forensic mental health units (Carbonell, Bohn, & Megargee, 1986; Doren, 1983; Edinger, 1979; Edinger et al, 1982; Megargee, 1986; Megargee, Bohn, & Carbonell, 1988; Walters, 1986; Wrobel, Calovini, & Martin, 1990; Wrobel, Wrobel, & McIntosh, 1988), and prisoners on death row (Dahlstrom, Panton, Bain, & Dahlstrom, 1986).…”

Using the Megargee MMPI-based classification system with the MMPI-2s of female prison inmates.

“…The aggregated results from six samples totaling 1, 043 female offenders in federal, state, and local institutions, whose original MMPIs were classified using standard procedures, are summarized in Table 1 (Miller, 1978; Mrad, 1979; Schaffer et al, 1983; Sink, 1979; Smith, 1983; Wrobel, Calovini, & Martin, 1990). These data are contrasted with aggregated data from eight samples comprising 2, 055 men in state prisons (Carey, Garske, & Ginsberg, 1986; Gearing, 1981; Howell & Geiselman, 1978; Nichols, 1979/1980; Schaffer et al, 1981; Walters, Mann, Miller, Hemphill, & Chlumsky, 1988) and eight other samples totaling 2, 628 men in federal correctional institutions (Baum, 1981; Bohn, 1979; Edinger, Reuterfors, & Logue, 1982; Johnson, Simmons, & Gordon, 1983; Megargee et al, 1979; Simmons, Johnson, Gouvier, & Muzyczka, 1981; Van Voorhis, 1988). It can be seen that the number of classifiable profiles and the proportions of women in the various types are quite similar to those reported for the male samples.…”