MMPI-2 Validity Scores In Defense- Versus Plaintiff-Selected Examinations: A Repeated Measures Study of Examiner Effects

Abstract

The effects of forensic examiner role on validity scores have rarely been studied empirically. We used a repeated measures design to examine the association between examiner role (plaintiff- and defense-selected neuropsychologists) and scores on eight Minnesota Multiphasic Inventory-2 validity scores (MMPI-2-VRIN, -TRIN, -L, -K, -F, -Fb, -Fp, and -FBS) of the same 80 individuals. All 80 were involved in litigation following mostly minor neurological injuries. We found no significant within-group differences on any of the MMPI-2 validity scales. Concordance of pass/fail rates between examinations was above 80%, except for MMPI-2-Fb. For example, the Symptom Validity Scale (MMPI-2-FBS) showed equivalently high failure rates (70%) during both examinations. This study does not support the view that examiner role affects symptom validity scores in forensic settings.

Keywords:

• MMPI-2
• Response bias
• Fake bad scale
• Validity scales
• Compensation-seeking
• Examiner effects

Notes

¹Analyses were conducted separately with the nine estimated FBS cases removed. The means and standard deviations, and the net discordances (see also Table 2), did not change for the remaining 71 cases.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

David D. Fox

This is an unfunded study. All authors have a forensic consulting component to their private practices. We wish to thank Scott Millis, Ph.D. for helpful statistical advice.