Predicting Institutional Aggression by Defensive Prison Inmates: An Examination of the Personality Assessment Inventory Treatment Consideration Scales

Abstract

Although the Antisocial Features scale of the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI; Morey, 2007) is a robust predictor of institutional aggression, recent research (Edens & Ruiz, 2005, 2006) suggests its efficacy is limited among offenders who engage in positive impression management. In this follow-up study, we explored other PAI variables that might predict aggression among 134 prison inmates who Edens and Ruiz (2005, 2006) identified as producing defensive PAI profiles. Somewhat counterintuitively, the Nonsupport scale was negatively associated with aggressive-defiant and physically aggressive infractions in this subgroup of inmates. Results are discussed in the context of the “threatened egotism” literature and implications for institutional risk assessment are reviewed.

Keywords:

• Personality Assessment Inventory
• aggression
• defensiveness
• profile validity
• social support
• prisoners
• threatened egotism

Notes

∗ p ≤.05.

¹The VPI incorporates results from both ANT and AGG subscales in computing this index, thus resulting in nonindependent variables.

∗ p ≤.05.

∗ p <.05.

∗∗p ≤.01.

²Those inmates with scores ≥60T on ANT generally are at increased risk for institutional aggression regardless of PIM scores (Edens & Ruiz, 2006). Moreover, restricting the present sample to only those defensive inmates who also had ANT scores < 60T (n = 107) did not substantially alter any of the effect sizes for NON in relation to the prediction of aggression.