Relationship of MMPI alcoholism, prison escape, hostility control and recidivism scales to clinical judgments

Relationship of scores on the Escapism Scale of the MMPI to escape from minimum security federal custody

Investigated the ability of the Escapism (Ec) scale of the MMPI to differentiate between escape and non-escape minimum security federal prisoners. At the .05 level there was no difference between the scores of the two groups on the Ec scale or on comparisons of other correctional data, age, and ethnic composition. It appears that the Ec scale alone or in combination with other data will be a poor predictor of escape. Also, the rate of escape was so low as to make accurate prediction from any criteria extremely unlikely.

Longitudinal post-validation of the MMPI Escape (EC) and Prison Adjustment (AP) scales

Conducted a longitudinal 3-year post-validation study of the MMPI Escape (Ec) and Prison Adjustment (Ap) scale score of 301 male felon inmates convicted of major type crimes and serving sentences of 5 years or more within the North Carolina Correctional System. Examination of the escape and infraction records of these inmates in relationship to their Ec and Ap scale scores demonstrated that the two scales were still effective classification instruments in predicting escape from within prison units that provided inner and perimeter security and in predicting the committing of major rule infractions irrespective of the degree of custodial control. Caution was expressed concerning the use of the Ec and Ap scale scores without supportive date from their classification procedures.

Objective psychological measurement and alcoholism: survey of the literature 1973

The literature published during 1973 on alcoholics in the United States was examined for objective psychological test data or behavioral measurements. Information was grouped according to problem area and included tests employed, significant findings, critical comments, and inferences for therapy and research. Review articles of 1973 are listed in an appendix.

Alcoholism scales of the MMPI: contributions and future directions

Though MMPI alcoholism scales have been constructed to provide objective information for making alcoholism diagnoses, they have not met with general acceptance. Research has been criticized since alcoholics were not clearly defined and were not subdivided into homogeneous categories. Prealcoholics were not studied and no consistent findings emerged. The present review of alcoholics and prealcoholics indicates that some scales, such as the MacAndrew, are consistent in discriminating alcoholics from controls even when alcoholics were not subdivided into homogeneous categories. These findings suggest that alcoholics have personality characteristics that distinguish them from other groups and provide psychometric justification for alcoholism diagnoses.

Characteristics of state prisoners who demonstrate severe adjustment problems

Hypothesis was tested that prison inmates who present serious disciplinary problems during incarceration that result in human injury, threat to personal safety, or extensive property damage also will tend to show a history of significant societal maladjustment as compared to prisoners who do not demonstrate adjustment problems. Societal maladjustment was defined to include significant problems in education, marriage, military service, and job stability. This project was an effort to present a picture of the types individuals who cause what generally are considered to be the more severe prison disturbances. The social and relevant background areas were investigated of 50 male state prison inmates who had committed serious acting-out infractions. The same background data were checked on 50 inmates who demonstrated good prison adjustment within the same time period. When background data were analyzed carefully, a trend was discovered that indicated that prisoners who create serious trouble while confined also tend to have significant histories of social failures. The results are interpreted as in favor of the hypothesis.