THE VALIDATION OF THE MEGARGEE-BOHN TYPOLOGY IN AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND CAUCASIAN FORENSIC PSYCHIATRIC-PATIENTS

This study examined whether the Megargee MMPI typology had differentia l validity for African American and Caucasian forensic psychiatric inp atients. We compared 516 African American and Caucasian patients in ou r four most common Megargee types across demographic, clinical, and fo rensic variables. Our findings indicate that the profile descriptions of types Charlie, Delta, How, and Item cannot be applied with equal co nfidence to African American and Caucasian forensic patients. Although certain demographic factors did not differ across ethnic groups, ther e were differences in clinical/forensic and hospital assault variables . In addition, the Caucasian sample showed the expected pattern of ass ociations, whereas the African American sample did not.