MMPI--A scores and high points of male juvenile delinquents: Scales 4, 5, and 6 as markers of juvenile delinquency.

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Adolescent (MMPI--A) clinical, supplementary, and content scale score patterns for 655 male delinquents were examined. Low scores on Scale 5 (Masculinity/Femininity) were found to be the most frequent deviation, followed by elevations on Scales 6 (Paranoia) and 4 (Psychopathic Deviate). This is consistent with previous research, although the importance of Scale 5 deviations has been little noted because of the traditional focus on scale elevations only. Classification analysis indicated that a combination of MMPI--A scales discriminated between this delinquent sample and the normative sample, with a sensitivity of 90%-95% and a specificity of 80%-95%. This level of sensitivity was maintained in a replication sample (N=473). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)