Temporal Consistency of the Meyer-Megargee Inmate Typology

Abstract

An initial sample of n = 316 MMPI profiles, produced by inmates at a Security Level III Federal Correctional Institution in Ashland, Kentucky, were subjected to the classification rules delineated by Megargee and Bohn (1979). Only 22 of these 316 profiles failed to meet the criteria for inclusion in at least one of the 10 Myer-Megargee types. The resultant 294 classifiable profiles (93%) were uniquely classified using only minimal (Set I) rules in combination with the accessory (Set II) rules provided by Megargee and Bohn (1979). Such a uniquely classifiable sample was intentionally selected for a potential bias towards stability. A final sample of n = 85 inmates were voluntarily retested (median test-retest interval = 9.78 months) and were classified. Only 16 of 85 inmates retained their original type designation upon retesting. On a subset of the overall sample (median test-retest = 3.15 months) only one of 14 profiles remained unchanged. These results both parallel and extend the data presented by Simmons, Johnson, Gouvier, and Muzyczka (1981) indicating marked instability sf the Myer-Megargee inmate typology. Thus, further data are amassed that question the efficacy of the Myer-Megargee typology for correctional decision-making.

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References

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