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Psychological Screening and Police Work

Instructions: Psychological tests, such as the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), have become commonplace applicant selection process of many police departments. In ideal circumstances, administrators hope that psychological screening will serve as a valid predictor of unacceptable behavior in candidates. It is of note, however, that despite the perceived value of these tests, when used as screening mechanisms, they are not without error. Read about psychological testing and answer the following question.

What are the advantages to using a psychological test as opposed to a clinical interview?

Brief answer.

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Psychological tests, such as the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), are commonplace applicant selection process of many police departments. In ideal circumstances, administrators hope that psychological screening will serve as a valid predictor of unacceptable behavior in candidates. It is of note, however, that despite the perceived value of these tests, when used as screening mechanisms, they are not without error.

1. What are the advantages to using a psychological test as opposed to a clinical interview?

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and the later revision (MMPI-2) have been two of the most frequently employed instruments in the selection of law enforcement officers (Bartol, 1996, http://www.springerlink.com/content/n4478l5735246577)

Justification for psychological tests is based on three main reasons they were developed over preferred over clinical interviews and other tests, including:

? It's easier to get information from tests than by clinical interview.
? The information from tests is more scientifically consistent than the information from a clinical interview.
? It's harder to get away with lying on a test than in a clinical ...

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