Cut-off scores for the MMPI-2 optimally : identifying incarcerated men with histories of childhood sexual abuse.

Abstract

Although the optimal identification of childhood sexual abuse in women through the use of the MMPI-2 has been studied, no researcher has attempted to use the same method on men. The current study used incarcerated men both sexually abused and non-sexually abused from the Kansas Department of Corrections to recreate the same study. There were 40 participants divided into two groups of 20 whose ages ranged from 18 to 64 years. A 48-item subset of MMPI-2 items used by Griffith et al. (1996) to assess the women was administered to the incarcerated men. Griffith, Meyers, and Tankersley (1996) used a cut-off score of 28 for the existence of abuse. The CUITent study suggests a cut-off score of 13 rather than 28 is necessary. The reason for the lower cut-off scores for men relative to women are discussed.