The Utility of the MMPI-2-RF Validity Scales in Detecting Underreporting. 2020

Tiffany A Brown, and Martin Sellbom
Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.

This study examined the validity of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF; Tellegen & Ben-Porath, 2011) Uncommon Virtues (L-r) and Adjustment Validity (K-r) scales in detecting underreporting. The study aimed to increment the previous literature in this field using a New Zealand population. We used a combined sample of 784 university students, with 173 participants completing the MMPI-2-RF with instruction to underreport in the context of applying for a job, and 611 completing the test under standard instructions. Results indicated that individuals who completed the MMPI-2-RF with underreporting instructions exhibited significantly lower scores on the majority of the MMPI-2-RF substantive scales, and significantly higher scores on the L-r and K-r validity scales. Additionally, L-r and K-r added incremental predictive utility over one another when differentiating the standard instruction and underreporting groups. Classification accuracy analyses provided additional evidence for the utility of the L-r and K-r scales by supporting their respective cut scores listed in the MMPI-2-RF manual (Ben-Porath & Tellegen, 2011). The findings of this study provide further evidence for the utility of the L-r and K-r scales in detecting underreporting extension to both a preemployment evaluation context and a novel population.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008192 Deception The act of deceiving or the fact of being deceived. False Allegations,Lying,Hoax,Allegation, False,Allegations, False,False Allegation
D008297 Male Males
D008950 MMPI A personality inventory consisting of statements to be asserted or denied by the individual. The patterns of response are characteristic of certain personality attributes. Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory
D009520 New Zealand A group of islands in the southwest Pacific. Its capital is Wellington. It was discovered by the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman in 1642 and circumnavigated by Cook in 1769. Colonized in 1840 by the New Zealand Company, it became a British crown colony in 1840 until 1907 when colonial status was terminated. New Zealand is a partly anglicized form of the original Dutch name Nieuw Zeeland, new sea land, possibly with reference to the Dutch province of Zeeland. (From Webster's New Geographical Dictionary, 1988, p842 & Room, Brewer's Dictionary of Names, 1992, p378)
D011594 Psychometrics Assessment of psychological variables by the application of mathematical procedures. Psychometric
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D055815 Young Adult A person between 19 and 24 years of age. Adult, Young,Adults, Young,Young Adults

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