Personality Characteristics of Male Juvenile Offenders by Adjudicated Offenses as Indicated by the MMPI–A

Abstract

The current investigation was designed to identify the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory–Adolescent (MMPI–A) scales that discriminate between three general types of criminal offenses among male juvenile offenders and the degree to which selected scales discriminate. Seventy-two male juvenile offenders were classified according to type of offense: crime against person, crime against property, or drug/alcohol offense. Selected scales were examined as discriminant predictors of offense pattern in a descriptive discriminant analysis as well as a classification analysis. Two significant linear discriminant functions emerged. Classification analysis also demonstrated the utility of the MMPI–A in differentiating between type of juvenile offense by correctly classifying 79.2% of the cases. Implications for the use of the MMPI–A with male juvenile offenders are discussed.