Psychopathic Deviation Among Female Suburban Adolescents

Abstract

The female population of a suburban high school in a Noriheastern metropolitan region (n = 837) was administered the MMPI-168 and additional surveys in order io explore the relationships between scale 4 (Psychopathic Deviate) and other variables, using multivariate iechniques. Resulis of ihree muliiple discriminant analyses between high and normal scorers on scale 4 suggest thai high scorers are typified by a variety of delinquent experiences, low self-esteem, family and resideniial disrupiions, and personality dborder. MMPI-168 response sets are not so influential as target variables in discriminating the criterion groups. espite early conclusions that few inferences could be drawn con-d cerning relationships between personality variables and committing offenses (Metfessel and Lovell, 1942;Schuessler and Cressey, 1950; Waldo and Dinitz, 1967), a number of studies have supported the usefulness of differentiating offenders and nonoffenders through personality measures. For instance, in one large-scale, representative study, Hathaway et al. (1960) reported that several MMPI clinical profiles involving elevations on scales 4 (Psychopathic Deviate), 8 (Schizophrenia), and 9 (Hypomania) successfully discriminated male and female high school offenders from nonoffenders. Scale 4 has also been used as a single index of antisocial behavior or social deviance (e.g., Elion and Megargee, 1975), and marked elevations on scale 4 have been found among prison populations