Updating the Jesness Inventory Randomness ValidityScales for the Jesness Inventory–Revised

Abstract

I updated 2 previously developed randomness scales for the Jesness Inventory (Jesness, 1983)—the Jesness Variable Response Inconsistency scale (J–VRIN) and the Variable Response scale (J–VR)—for the Jesness Inventory–Revised (Jesness–R; Jesness, 2003). I investigated efficacies for those 2 scales and a 3rd randomness scale described in the Jesness–R manual, the Randomness scale (J–RR), by comparing 76 protocols of delinquents, ages 13 to 17 years, screened for probable randomness with a matched-pair MMPI–Adolescent (Butcher et al., 1992) or a Millon Adolescent Clinical Inventory (Millon, Millon, & Davis, 1993), with 100 all-random protocols, and 40 partially random protocols. J–VRIN and J–VR in conjunction successfully detected 98% of the all-random protocols and 83% of the partially random protocols. J–RR successfully detected 19% and 10%, respectively. I report predictive power and overall effectiveness for base rates of .10 and .20.