Psychological Reporis, 1975, 37,471-474. @ Psychological Reports 1975
MALE AND FEKALE PRISON INMATES' DIFFERENCES O N MMPI SCALES A N D REVISED BETA I Q JOAN JOESTING Salisbury State Colhge
NELDA JONES Southern Pines ROBERT JOESTING Challenge Foundation'
Summary.-MMPI protocols of all male and female prisoners in the North Carolina Correctional System in 1971 were compared. Female inmates had significantly higher ( p < .01) IQs than did the males. With the exception of the Ap, L, and K scales, males had statistically significant higher means on all MMPI scales. Women were only higher on the Ap and K scales. The males appeared significantly more emotionally disturbed, which suggests that emotionally disturbed women may be admitted to a mental hospital.
Koontz (1971) said, "while research on male prisoners is voluminous, on women, it is minimal." Panton (1974) felt both sexes must be used when doing research and suggested determining "personality differences appearing between male and female prisoners." H e matched 128 female admissions to the North Carolina Correctional System with an equal number of male admissions and found the mean Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) profile of the females to be significantly less deviant than the mean profile of the males on Hs and D scales. The females were more deviant on the Pa and Si scales. Both sexes scored abnormally high on the Pd scale. Eysenck (1970) concluded that the Pd scale discriminated prisoners from both normal control groups and neurotic groups. Male prisoners were higher than female prisoners on all MMPI scales, except Pa (Fry, 1949). Cloninger and Guze (1970) found female prisoners to be more drug-dependent, hysterical, alcoholic, sociopathic, and more homosexual than women in the general population. In a summary of the literature, Pollak (1950) found female inmates were older and less intelligent than male inmates. Hannum, Menne, Betz, and Rans (1973) reported women prisoners admitted to the Iowa Women's Reformatory in 1969-70 to have a mean Otis IQ of 96.50, a mean education of 10.35 yr., and mean age of 24.94 yr. N o statistics for male prisoners in Iowa were reported.
METHOD All male (257) and female (272) prisoners in the North Carolina Correctional System in Raleigh, North Carolina on July 1, 1971, who had MMPI protocols were included in this study. Revised Beta IQs, age, and education were obtained from folders. There were more females than males because the Raleigh facilities are a temporary place for male prisoners, but permanent for women. This was about 5% of the male inmate population. Some inmates had partial MMPI protocols resulting from inconsistencies in administration. 'P. 0.Box 2094, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514.
472
J. JOESTING, ET AL.
Table 1 gives means and standard deviations of men and women. While no significant differences appeared for male and female inmates in age and level of education, there was a scacistically significant difference ( t = 10.22; p < .01) in Revised Beta IQs, scores for females being significantly higher than male inmates. The North Carolina female prisoners exceeded the Iowa female prisoners' mean IQ and age and were only .39 below that group in education. TABLE 1
COMPARISON OF MALEAND FEMALEINMATES' AGES, EDUCATION, AND IQS Measurement Males R Females 1z t M SD M SD 8.61 272 1.35 28.51 257 29.73 11.89 Age (yr.1 272 .043 2.42 Education ( y r . ) 8.97 9.96 2.42 257 272 10.22 Revised Beta IQ 85.48 14.89 257 100.50 12.88
P
.O1
Table 2 presents means and standard deviations of the raw scores of males and females on the diagnostic scales of the MMPI. The t ratios show significant differences ( p < .01) between the means of raw scores of the males and females on all MMPI scales used, with the exception of the L scale. Women were higher only on the A p or prison adjustment scale. According to Panton ( 1972a), a high A p score, "indicates an acting out hostile response to custodial stress and confinement . . . marked by deliberate violation of prison rules and relations" (Panton, 1972b). The males had significantly higher mean Prison Escape Scale scores ( E c ) . High Ec scores "indicate a tendency to avoid conflict arising in the inmate's adjustment by escaping or attempting to escape" (Panton, 197213). On A Factor Scale ( A ) males had a higher mean than females. High "As" are overly submissive to authority and seem to lack confidence in their decision-making ability (Panton, 1972a). Males were higher on the R Factor Scale; such scorers make concessions instead of facing unpleasantness, attempting to avoid trouble and bad situations. Low R scorers may be dominant, deceitful, brassy, self-indulgent, impulsive, and self-seeking (Panton, 1972a). The males were higher on the Psychopathic Deviant ( P d 1 ) scale. High Pd scorers are resistant to authority, indifferent to the misfortune and suffering of others, and likely to ignore social mores (Panton, 1972b). Males were higher than females on Defect of Inhibition Control ( D c and i ). According to Panton ( 1972b), a high scorer on this scale feels at the mercy of feeling and impulse, with behavior likely to be poorly directed and physically aggressive. Males had a higher mean on Sensorimotor Dissociation. A high Sensorimotor Dissociation score usually indicates that the inmate may have a history of unusual sensory experience~(Panton, 1972b). Males had a higher F scale mean than females. High F scores show refusal to cooperate and may indicate that the inmace is unable to read sufficiently and understand to answer with discrimination (Panton, 197213). Females were
INMATES' DIFFERENCES: IQ, MMPI
TABLE 2 2 STANDARD DEVIATIONS FOR 170 M A L E AND 27 1 FEMALE INMATES MMPI MEANS
Male Inmates M 2 S D n
MMPI Scale Ap (Prison Adjustment) Ec (Prison Escape) A Factor R ~actor Pd 1 [Psvchopathic Deviant) DC&i ' ( ~ e f e c ;of Inhibition Control) SD (sensorimotor Dissociation) L (Lie) F (Validity)
8 . 2 3 2 4.42 1 7 . 0 6 2 4.91 2 0 . 5 3 2 9.00 1 7 . 3 ~ k4.61 2 8 . 6 2 2 4.97
170 123 170 170 170
3.452 5.74t 4.822 10.182
2.08 3.56 2.46 6.79
152 155 167 170
Hy '(Gsteria) ' PD (Psychopathic deviate) MF (M&cufiniry-femininh) Pd (Paranoia) PC (Psychasthenia) Sc (Schizophrenia) Ma (Hypomania) Si ( Introversion)
2 4 . 1 7 i 6.30 2 4 . 0 5 2 5.55 3 5 . 1 7 2 5.24 1 4 . 0 1 2 4.82 2 0 . 8 2 2 9.01 2 2 . 4 1 2 12.56 2 0 . 1 9 f 5.80 33.43k 8.90
171 171 171 171 171 171 171 171
Female Inmates 2SD n
M
'
significantly higher on the K scale. High K scorers usually present a conforming attitude to prison rules and express innocence when accused of doing anything wrong (Panton, 1972b). Males had a higher mean on HIscale or Hypochondriasis (McKinley & Hathaway, 1949). High scorers on this scale are worried and preoccupied with their physical symptoms without any evidence of physical problems (Dahlstrom & Welsh, 1960). Males were higher on the D scale or depression which is characterized by pessimism, and often preoccupation with suicide and death (Dahlstrorn & Welsh, 1960). Males were also higher on Hy or hysteria. People who score high on this scale tend to use their physical symptoms to avoid responsibilities and solve conflicts (Dahlsuom & Welsh, 1960). Males were significantly higher on Pd or psychopathic personality. High scorers tend to repeatedly disregard social customs and show inability to profit from negative experiences (Dahlsurom & Welsh, 1960). As may be expected, males' mean on this scale was higher. On the Scale Pa or paranoia, males were significantly higher. The concept of paranoia concerns a set of delusional beliefs. Males were significantly higher on the Pt scale or psychasthenia, or the obsessive-compulsive syndrome, including some forms of abnormal fears, difficulties in concentrating, etc. (Dahlstrom & Welsh, 1960). Again, male inmates had a significantly higher mean on rhe scale Sc or schizophrenia. Dahlstrom and Welsh (1960) characterize a higher scorer as being indifferent, cold, and apathetic. Males were significantly higher on the Ma scale or hypomania. Dahlsuom and Welsh (1960) list three characteristics of hypomania--emotional excitement,
474
J. JOESTING, ET AL.
overactivity, and flight of ideas. Males were also higher on introversion (Si). With the exception of the Ap, L, and K scales, males had statistically significant higher mean scores than female inmates. Only on the L scale were there no significant dfferences between the sexes. Women were higher on the Ap scale (Panton, 1972b), showing acting out to custodial stress and confinement, on the K scale, i.e., defensive against personality weakness (Panton, 1972b). Female inmates had a significantly higher IQ than male inmates. The intelIectually below average female may be protected by a suitable domestic role and is able to meet the pressures of society while a male is forced to be a breadwinner and compete in the real world, regardless of his mental abilities. Males may be emotionally disturbed from their higher mean scores on all but Ap, K,and L scales. Perhaps disturbed men are being committed to prison more than disturbed women. Emotionally disturbed women are probably in mental hospitals or protected by the family. This could possibly be related to the excess of females in mental hospitals (Cheder, 1972) and the excess of males in prison. Our judicial and mental health systems may consider it appropriate to imprison an emotionally disturbed male seeing him more responsible for his acts, while committing a woman to a mental hospital. This implies that the male should be punished, while the female should be "healed," both solutions removing the deviant person from society. REFERENCES
CHESLER, P. W o m e n and madness. Garden City, N. Y.: Doubleday, 1972. CLONINGER. C. R.. & GUZE. S. B. Psvchiatric illness and female criminalitv. American Journal o f ~ r ~ c h i a t 1970, 7 ~ ; 1 2 j , 303-311. & WELSH.G. S. A n MMPI handbook. Minneapolis: Univer. of Minnesota press, 1960. EYSENCK.H. J. Crime and personality. London: Granada, 1970. FRY,F. D. A study of the personality traits of college students and of state prison inmates as measured by the MMPI. Journal o f Psychology, 1949, 28, 439-449. HANNUM, T. E., MENNE,J. W., BETZ,E. L., & RANS, L. Differences in female prisoner characteristics-1960 to 1970. Corrective and Social Psychiatry, 1973, 15, 39-41. KOONTZ,E. D. Problems unique to women and girl offenders heard in Washington. In W o m e n today. Washington, D. C . : Today Publications & News Service, 1971, 1, 2. MCKINLEY, J. C., & HATHAWAY, S. R. A multiphasic personality schedule (Minnesota) : 11. A differential study of hypochondriasis. Journal o f Psychology, 1949, 10, 255-268. PANTON,J. H. Handbook and clinical guide for t h e M M P I in Correctioml Dingnostic Services. Raleigh, N. C.: Research and Planning, North Carolina Department of Corrections, March, 1972. ( a ) PANTON, J. H. Manual o f t h e Prison Classification Inventory ( P C I ) for t h e M M P I . Raleigh, N. C.: Research and Planning, North Carolina Department of Corrections, 1972. ( b ) PANTON,J. H. Personality differences appearing between male and female inmates as measured by the MMPI. Criminal Justice a ~ dBehavior, 1974, 1 , 32?-339. POLLAK,0. T h e criminali~yo f w o m e n . New York: A. S. Barnes, 1950.
DAHLSIROM. W. G..
'
Accepted July 2, 1975.
MALE AND FEKALE PRISON INMATES' DIFFERENCES O N MMPI SCALES A N D REVISED BETA I Q JOAN JOESTING Salisbury State Colhge
NELDA JONES Southern Pines ROBERT JOESTING Challenge Foundation'
Summary.-MMPI protocols of all male and female prisoners in the North Carolina Correctional System in 1971 were compared. Female inmates had significantly higher ( p < .01) IQs than did the males. With the exception of the Ap, L, and K scales, males had statistically significant higher means on all MMPI scales. Women were only higher on the Ap and K scales. The males appeared significantly more emotionally disturbed, which suggests that emotionally disturbed women may be admitted to a mental hospital.
Koontz (1971) said, "while research on male prisoners is voluminous, on women, it is minimal." Panton (1974) felt both sexes must be used when doing research and suggested determining "personality differences appearing between male and female prisoners." H e matched 128 female admissions to the North Carolina Correctional System with an equal number of male admissions and found the mean Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) profile of the females to be significantly less deviant than the mean profile of the males on Hs and D scales. The females were more deviant on the Pa and Si scales. Both sexes scored abnormally high on the Pd scale. Eysenck (1970) concluded that the Pd scale discriminated prisoners from both normal control groups and neurotic groups. Male prisoners were higher than female prisoners on all MMPI scales, except Pa (Fry, 1949). Cloninger and Guze (1970) found female prisoners to be more drug-dependent, hysterical, alcoholic, sociopathic, and more homosexual than women in the general population. In a summary of the literature, Pollak (1950) found female inmates were older and less intelligent than male inmates. Hannum, Menne, Betz, and Rans (1973) reported women prisoners admitted to the Iowa Women's Reformatory in 1969-70 to have a mean Otis IQ of 96.50, a mean education of 10.35 yr., and mean age of 24.94 yr. N o statistics for male prisoners in Iowa were reported.
METHOD All male (257) and female (272) prisoners in the North Carolina Correctional System in Raleigh, North Carolina on July 1, 1971, who had MMPI protocols were included in this study. Revised Beta IQs, age, and education were obtained from folders. There were more females than males because the Raleigh facilities are a temporary place for male prisoners, but permanent for women. This was about 5% of the male inmate population. Some inmates had partial MMPI protocols resulting from inconsistencies in administration. 'P. 0.Box 2094, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514.
472
J. JOESTING, ET AL.
Table 1 gives means and standard deviations of men and women. While no significant differences appeared for male and female inmates in age and level of education, there was a scacistically significant difference ( t = 10.22; p < .01) in Revised Beta IQs, scores for females being significantly higher than male inmates. The North Carolina female prisoners exceeded the Iowa female prisoners' mean IQ and age and were only .39 below that group in education. TABLE 1
COMPARISON OF MALEAND FEMALEINMATES' AGES, EDUCATION, AND IQS Measurement Males R Females 1z t M SD M SD 8.61 272 1.35 28.51 257 29.73 11.89 Age (yr.1 272 .043 2.42 Education ( y r . ) 8.97 9.96 2.42 257 272 10.22 Revised Beta IQ 85.48 14.89 257 100.50 12.88
P
.O1
Table 2 presents means and standard deviations of the raw scores of males and females on the diagnostic scales of the MMPI. The t ratios show significant differences ( p < .01) between the means of raw scores of the males and females on all MMPI scales used, with the exception of the L scale. Women were higher only on the A p or prison adjustment scale. According to Panton ( 1972a), a high A p score, "indicates an acting out hostile response to custodial stress and confinement . . . marked by deliberate violation of prison rules and relations" (Panton, 1972b). The males had significantly higher mean Prison Escape Scale scores ( E c ) . High Ec scores "indicate a tendency to avoid conflict arising in the inmate's adjustment by escaping or attempting to escape" (Panton, 197213). On A Factor Scale ( A ) males had a higher mean than females. High "As" are overly submissive to authority and seem to lack confidence in their decision-making ability (Panton, 1972a). Males were higher on the R Factor Scale; such scorers make concessions instead of facing unpleasantness, attempting to avoid trouble and bad situations. Low R scorers may be dominant, deceitful, brassy, self-indulgent, impulsive, and self-seeking (Panton, 1972a). The males were higher on the Psychopathic Deviant ( P d 1 ) scale. High Pd scorers are resistant to authority, indifferent to the misfortune and suffering of others, and likely to ignore social mores (Panton, 1972b). Males were higher than females on Defect of Inhibition Control ( D c and i ). According to Panton ( 1972b), a high scorer on this scale feels at the mercy of feeling and impulse, with behavior likely to be poorly directed and physically aggressive. Males had a higher mean on Sensorimotor Dissociation. A high Sensorimotor Dissociation score usually indicates that the inmate may have a history of unusual sensory experience~(Panton, 1972b). Males had a higher F scale mean than females. High F scores show refusal to cooperate and may indicate that the inmace is unable to read sufficiently and understand to answer with discrimination (Panton, 197213). Females were
INMATES' DIFFERENCES: IQ, MMPI
TABLE 2 2 STANDARD DEVIATIONS FOR 170 M A L E AND 27 1 FEMALE INMATES MMPI MEANS
Male Inmates M 2 S D n
MMPI Scale Ap (Prison Adjustment) Ec (Prison Escape) A Factor R ~actor Pd 1 [Psvchopathic Deviant) DC&i ' ( ~ e f e c ;of Inhibition Control) SD (sensorimotor Dissociation) L (Lie) F (Validity)
8 . 2 3 2 4.42 1 7 . 0 6 2 4.91 2 0 . 5 3 2 9.00 1 7 . 3 ~ k4.61 2 8 . 6 2 2 4.97
170 123 170 170 170
3.452 5.74t 4.822 10.182
2.08 3.56 2.46 6.79
152 155 167 170
Hy '(Gsteria) ' PD (Psychopathic deviate) MF (M&cufiniry-femininh) Pd (Paranoia) PC (Psychasthenia) Sc (Schizophrenia) Ma (Hypomania) Si ( Introversion)
2 4 . 1 7 i 6.30 2 4 . 0 5 2 5.55 3 5 . 1 7 2 5.24 1 4 . 0 1 2 4.82 2 0 . 8 2 2 9.01 2 2 . 4 1 2 12.56 2 0 . 1 9 f 5.80 33.43k 8.90
171 171 171 171 171 171 171 171
Female Inmates 2SD n
M
'
significantly higher on the K scale. High K scorers usually present a conforming attitude to prison rules and express innocence when accused of doing anything wrong (Panton, 1972b). Males had a higher mean on HIscale or Hypochondriasis (McKinley & Hathaway, 1949). High scorers on this scale are worried and preoccupied with their physical symptoms without any evidence of physical problems (Dahlstrom & Welsh, 1960). Males were higher on the D scale or depression which is characterized by pessimism, and often preoccupation with suicide and death (Dahlstrorn & Welsh, 1960). Males were also higher on Hy or hysteria. People who score high on this scale tend to use their physical symptoms to avoid responsibilities and solve conflicts (Dahlsuom & Welsh, 1960). Males were significantly higher on Pd or psychopathic personality. High scorers tend to repeatedly disregard social customs and show inability to profit from negative experiences (Dahlsurom & Welsh, 1960). As may be expected, males' mean on this scale was higher. On the Scale Pa or paranoia, males were significantly higher. The concept of paranoia concerns a set of delusional beliefs. Males were significantly higher on the Pt scale or psychasthenia, or the obsessive-compulsive syndrome, including some forms of abnormal fears, difficulties in concentrating, etc. (Dahlstrom & Welsh, 1960). Again, male inmates had a significantly higher mean on rhe scale Sc or schizophrenia. Dahlstrom and Welsh (1960) characterize a higher scorer as being indifferent, cold, and apathetic. Males were significantly higher on the Ma scale or hypomania. Dahlsuom and Welsh (1960) list three characteristics of hypomania--emotional excitement,
474
J. JOESTING, ET AL.
overactivity, and flight of ideas. Males were also higher on introversion (Si). With the exception of the Ap, L, and K scales, males had statistically significant higher mean scores than female inmates. Only on the L scale were there no significant dfferences between the sexes. Women were higher on the Ap scale (Panton, 1972b), showing acting out to custodial stress and confinement, on the K scale, i.e., defensive against personality weakness (Panton, 1972b). Female inmates had a significantly higher IQ than male inmates. The intelIectually below average female may be protected by a suitable domestic role and is able to meet the pressures of society while a male is forced to be a breadwinner and compete in the real world, regardless of his mental abilities. Males may be emotionally disturbed from their higher mean scores on all but Ap, K,and L scales. Perhaps disturbed men are being committed to prison more than disturbed women. Emotionally disturbed women are probably in mental hospitals or protected by the family. This could possibly be related to the excess of females in mental hospitals (Cheder, 1972) and the excess of males in prison. Our judicial and mental health systems may consider it appropriate to imprison an emotionally disturbed male seeing him more responsible for his acts, while committing a woman to a mental hospital. This implies that the male should be punished, while the female should be "healed," both solutions removing the deviant person from society. REFERENCES
CHESLER, P. W o m e n and madness. Garden City, N. Y.: Doubleday, 1972. CLONINGER. C. R.. & GUZE. S. B. Psvchiatric illness and female criminalitv. American Journal o f ~ r ~ c h i a t 1970, 7 ~ ; 1 2 j , 303-311. & WELSH.G. S. A n MMPI handbook. Minneapolis: Univer. of Minnesota press, 1960. EYSENCK.H. J. Crime and personality. London: Granada, 1970. FRY,F. D. A study of the personality traits of college students and of state prison inmates as measured by the MMPI. Journal o f Psychology, 1949, 28, 439-449. HANNUM, T. E., MENNE,J. W., BETZ,E. L., & RANS, L. Differences in female prisoner characteristics-1960 to 1970. Corrective and Social Psychiatry, 1973, 15, 39-41. KOONTZ,E. D. Problems unique to women and girl offenders heard in Washington. In W o m e n today. Washington, D. C . : Today Publications & News Service, 1971, 1, 2. MCKINLEY, J. C., & HATHAWAY, S. R. A multiphasic personality schedule (Minnesota) : 11. A differential study of hypochondriasis. Journal o f Psychology, 1949, 10, 255-268. PANTON,J. H. Handbook and clinical guide for t h e M M P I in Correctioml Dingnostic Services. Raleigh, N. C.: Research and Planning, North Carolina Department of Corrections, March, 1972. ( a ) PANTON, J. H. Manual o f t h e Prison Classification Inventory ( P C I ) for t h e M M P I . Raleigh, N. C.: Research and Planning, North Carolina Department of Corrections, 1972. ( b ) PANTON,J. H. Personality differences appearing between male and female inmates as measured by the MMPI. Criminal Justice a ~ dBehavior, 1974, 1 , 32?-339. POLLAK,0. T h e criminali~yo f w o m e n . New York: A. S. Barnes, 1950.
DAHLSIROM. W. G..
'
Accepted July 2, 1975.
