Comparing the Validity of MMPI-3 Scores in Prehire Psychological Screenings of Male and Female Police Officer Candidates

Abstract

Psychological testing is an important component of the screening process for public safety officers. The use of standardized measures is intended to increase the objectivity of preemployment evaluations, highlighting the importance of examining tests used in these assessments for evidence of differential validity. Differential validity is indicated when a screening measure is unequally associated with, or systematically over- or under-predicts, a criterion across demographic groups. In the current study, we examined for differential validity in Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-3 (MMPI-3) scores in a sample of 527 police officer candidates (455 males, 72 females). We first calculated correlations between MMPI-3 scores and job-relevant historical variables. Next, for variable pairings that yielded at least a small effect size, regression models were estimated in a multi-group framework comparing associations between MMPI-3 scores and the historical variables across men and women. The analyses yielded statistical evidence of negligible differential validity across gender in police officer screenings. Implications of these findings and limitations of this study are discussed.