PERSONALITY PREDICTORS OF THE MINNESOTA POWER AND CONTROL WHEEL

Tests were conducted to determine whether the Minnesota Power and Cont rol Wheel (MPCW), which describes eight forms of power and control tac tics, constituted a syndrome of intercorrelated actions. Criterion ite ms for the MPCW octants were derived from Tolman's Psychological Maltr eatment of Women Inventory (PMWI) completed by assaultive and nonassau ltive samples. Tests were conducted of whether certain features of the abusive personality could accurately predict various octants of the M PCW. With the exception of ''using the children as pawns,'' all MPCW d imensions of the abuse of power and central were significantly interco rrelated, suggesting the existence of a syndrome of abuse of power and control. Personality disturbance was significantly correlated with al l octants except using the children. These findings argue for a compre hensive model of abusive uses of power and control tactics integrating both social and psychological influences, rather than one that relies exclusively on either one.