Predicting parenting behaviors from Antisocial Practices content scale scores of the MMPI-2 administered during pregnancy

This article examines the relation between scores on the Antisocial practic es (ASP) content scale of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2; Butcher. Dahlstrom, Graham, Tellegen, & Kaemmer, 1989) and parent ing behaviors in a sample of low-income women. during pregnancy, 141 women were administered the MMPI-2 and then placed into 1 of 3 groups: an antisoc ial, nonclinical, or clinical control group. When their children were 13 an d 24 months old, antisocial mothers were observed to be less understanding and more hostile and harsh in their parenting styles than mothers in the ot her groups. The nonclinical and clinical control groups did not differ on a ny measures. Other MMPI-2 measures of antisocial behavior were not predicti ve of harsh parenting styles. These findings support the predictive and con struct validity of the ASP content scale of the MMPI-2.