Skip to main content
Log in

Comparison of the MMPI and MMPI-2 Among Job Applicants

  • Published:
Journal of Business and Psychology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The primary objective was to compare the MMPI-2 profiles for professional job applicants with corresponding profiles on the original MMPI. Male and female MMPI-2 profiles were also compared, and correlational and factor analyses were used to examine: A) Interscale correlations vis-à-vis item overlap, and B) The impact of K-corrections. The subjects were 82 auditor applicants, plus 212 sales and management applicants from an earlier study. The original MMPI was found to overpathologize applicant profiles. Male and female MMPI-2 profiles differed only on Mf. Scales L, K, and Hy formed a favorable cluster for job applicants, while F, Hs, Pt, Sc formed one unfavorable cluster—and D, Si a second. K-corrections consistently moved clinical scales in the direction of the favorable cluster.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  • Bartol, C. R. (1991). Predictive validation of the MMPI for small-town police officers who fail. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 22, 127–132.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ben-Porath, Y. S. (1990). Cross-cultural assessment of personality: The case for replicatory factor analysis. In J. N. Butcher & C. D. Spielberger (Eds.), Advances in personality assessment (Vol. 8, pp. 27–47). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bernstein, I., Teng, G., Grannemann, B. D., & Garbin, C. P. (1987). Invariance in the MMPI's component structure. Journal of Personality Assessment, 51, 522–531.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beutler, L. E., Storm, A., Kirkish, P., Scogin, F., & Gaines, J. A. (1985). Parameters in the prediction of police officer performance. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 16, 324–335.

    Google Scholar 

  • Borum, R., & Stock, H. V. (1993). Detection of deception in law enforcement applicants: A preliminary investigation. Special Section: Psychology and law enforcement. Law and Human Behavior, 17, 157–166.

    Google Scholar 

  • Butcher, J. N. (1994). Psychological assessment of airline pilot applicants with the MMPI-2. Journal of Personality Assessment, 62(1), 31–44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Butcher, J. N., Dahlstrom, W. G., Graham, J. R., Tellegen, A., & Kaemmer, B. (1989). MMPI-2: Manual for administration and scoring. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Colby, F. (1989). Usefulness of the K correction in MMPI profiles of patients and nonpatients. Psychological Assessment: A Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1(2), 142–145.

    Google Scholar 

  • Costello, R. M., Schneider, S. L., & Schoenfeld, L. S. (1993). Applicants' fraud in law enforcement. Psychological Reports, 73, 179–183.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greene, R. L. (1991). The MMPI-2/MMPI: An interpretive manual. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hargrave, G. E., Hiatt, D., & Gaffney, T. W. (1988). F+4+9+Cn: An MMPI measure of aggression in law enforcement officers and applicants. Journal of Police Science and Administration, 16, 268–273.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartman, B. J. (1987). Psychological screening of law enforcement candidates. American Journal of Forensic Psychology, 5, 5–10.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heilbrun, A. B. (1961). The psychological significance of the MMPI K scale in a normal population. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 25, 486–491.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heilbrun, A. B. (1963). Revision of the MMPI K correction procedure for improved detection of maladjustment in a normal college population. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 27, 161–165.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hiatt, D., & Hargrave, G. E. (1988). Predicting job performance problems with psychological screening. Journal of Police Science and Administration, 16, 122–135.

    Google Scholar 

  • Inwald, R. E., & Brockwell, A. L. (1991). Predicting the performance of government security personnel with the IPI and MMPI. Journal of Personality Assessment, 56, 522–535.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jenkins, G. (1984). Response sets and personality measures: The K scale of the MMPI. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Texas Tech University, Lubbock.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ries, H. A. (1966). The MMPI K scale as a predictor of prognosis. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 25, 425–426.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruch, F. L., & Ruch, W. W. (1967). The K factor as a (validity) suppressor variable in predicting success in selling. Journal of Applied Psychology, 51(3), 201–204.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scogin, F. & Buetler, L. (1986). Psychological screening of law enforcement candidates. In P. A. Keller & L. G. Ritt (Eds.), Innovations in Clinical Practice (Vol. 5, pp. 317–330). Sarasota, FL: Professional Resources Exchange.

    Google Scholar 

  • Silver, R., & Sines, L. K. (1962). Diagnostic efficiency of the MMPI with and without K correction. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 18, 312–314.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, E. E. (1959). Defensiveness, insight, and the K scale. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 23, 275–277.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sweetland, A., & Quay, H. (1953). A note on the K scale of the MMPI. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 17, 314–316.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thumin, F. J. (1965). Personality characteristics of diverse occupation and groups. Personnel and Guidance Journal, 5, 468–470.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thumin, F. J. (1969). MMPI scores as related to age, education and intelligence among male job applicants. Journal of Applied Psychology, 53, 5, 404–407.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thumin, F. J. (1971). A comparative study of the MMPI profiles of salesmen and technical managers. Personnel Psychology, 24, 481–487.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thumin, F. J. (1994). Correlations for a new personality test with age, education, intelligence, and the MMPI-2. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 79, 1383–1389.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tyler, F. T., & Michaelis, J. U. (1953). K-scores applied to MMPI scales for college women. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 13, 459–466.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wooten, A. J. (1984). Effectiveness of the K correction in the detection of psychopathology and its impact on profile height and configuration among young adult men. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 52, 468–473.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yonge, G. D. (1966). Certain consequences of applying the K factor to MMPI scores. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 26, 887–893.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fred J. Thumin.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Thumin, F.J. Comparison of the MMPI and MMPI-2 Among Job Applicants. Journal of Business and Psychology 17, 73–86 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1016294000464

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1016294000464

Navigation