An Empirical Study of MMPI F Scale Validity

Abstract

Responses by normal male and female job applicants to the 64 items of the MMPI F scale were examined to ascertain if they were still being answered in the scored (deviant) direction by less than 10%, as required for the original normative sample. More than 10% of men endorsed five booklet items (Nos. 112, 115, 199, 206, 215) in the deviant direction, while a similar percentage of women so endorsed four items (Nos. 112, 115, 199, 206). These findings appear to reflect modern trends in American behavior and suggest that this widely used test might be renormed.