MMPI DIFFERENCES AMONG ADOLESCENT INPATIENTS, RAPISTS, SODOMISTS, ANDSEXUAL ABUSERS

This study examined Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) responding among 61 adolescent sex offenders accused of Sexual Abuse (n = 22), Rape (n = 19), and Sodomy (n = 18) and 15 adolescents withou t a history of sexual offending admitted to an inpatient psychiatric u nit. Results indicated significant differences between sex offenders a nd inpatients as well as among sex offender groups on both single-scal e elevations and 2-point code types. Contrary to previous research, ad olescents in the sex offender groups demonstrated significantly more p sychopathology than those in the inpatient sample. Subjects in the Sod omy group achieved the highest clinical scale elevations and were more likely to have scales associated with significant psychopathology as one of their 2-point pairs. In general, increased psychopathology was associated with increased sexual deviancy. That is, subjects in the se xual offender groups evidenced more psychopathology than inpatients an d the more deviant Sodomy and Rape groups evidenced more psychological disturbance on the MMPI than Sexual Abuser subjects. Results indicate that the MMPI can be useful in providing both quantitative and qualit ative distinctions among adolescent sex offenders.