The Utility of the NEO–PI–R Validity Scales to Detect Response Distortion: A Comparison With the MMPI–2

Abstract

In this psychometric study, we compared the recently developed Validity Scales from the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO PI–R; Costa & McCrae, 1992b) with the MMPI–2 (Butcher, Dahstrom, Graham, Tellegen, & Kaemmer, 1989) Validity Scales. We collected data from clients (n = 74) who completed comprehensive psychological evaluations at a university-based outpatient mental health clinic. Correlations between the Validity Scales of the NEO–PI-R and MMPI–2 were significant and in the expected directions. The relationships provide support for convergent and discriminant validity of the NEO–PI–R Validity Scales. The percent agreement of invalid responding on the two measures was high, although the diagnostic agreement was modest (κ = .22–.33). Finally, clients who responded in an invalid manner on the NEO–PI–R Validity Scales produced significantly different clinical profiles on the NEO–PI–R and MMPI–2 than clients with valid protocols. These results provide additional support for the clinical utility of the NEO–PI–R Validity Scales as indicators of response bias.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank Lauren Schwarz for help with data collection, Jeremiah Weinstock for assistance with data analysis, and the comments from three reviewers on a prior draft of this article.