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“Profile” analysis of the personality characteristics of child molesters using the MMPI‐2
Author(s) -
Ridenour Ty Andrew,
Miller Anne R.,
Joy Kenneth L.,
Dean Raymond S.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.124
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1097-4679
pISSN - 0021-9762
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-4679(199710)53:6<575::aid-jclp6>3.0.co;2-j
Subject(s) - minnesota multiphasic personality inventory , psychology , discriminant function analysis , clinical psychology , personality , developmental psychology , social psychology , statistics , mathematics
Identification of child sexual molesters has been attempted for at least half a century without success. This is due, in part, to the heterogeneity of child molesters. Child sexual molesters were studied in three ways. First, a discriminant function analysis was conducted to evaluate how well the MMPI‐2 would distinguish child molesters from controls. Hit rates of 81% and 88% were found for clinical scales alone and the clinical and supplemental scales, respectively. Second, a cluster analysis of MMPI‐2 data identified four groups that resembled clusters found previously with the MMPI. Third, when followed in treatment, all subgroups achieved significant progress ratings and no significant difference in treatment progress was found between clusters. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Clin Psychol 53 : 575–586, 1997.