DETECTING FAKE-BAD MMPI-A PROFILES

This study examined the extent to which the validity scales of the Min nesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Adolescent (MMPI-A; Butcher e t al., 1992) could identify adolescents who were faking-bad. This stud y also examined the extent to which the validity scales could differen tiate between nonclinical adolescents instructed to fake-bad and both clinical and nonclinical adolescents who received standard instruction s. Participants were 58 male and 80 female high school students and 58 male and 80 female adolescents from clinical settings. Results indica ted that the mean profiles resembled those previously reported for adu lts on the MMPI (Graham, 1987) and MMPI-2 (Graham, Watts, & Timbrook, 1991) and for adolescents on the original MMPI (Archer, Gordon, & Kirc hner, 1987). Accurate identification of students who were faking-bad w as achieved. It was possible to differentiate between the clinical ado lescents and nonclinical adolescents who were faking, and it was possi ble to differentiate between nonclinical adolescents who were faking a nd nonclinical adolescents with standard instructions; however, differ ent cutoff scores were needed for these two discriminations. Optimal c utoff scores were presented.