The Validation of the Megargee-Bohn Typology in African American and Caucasian Forensic Psychiatric Patients

Abstract

This study examined whether the Megargee MMPI typology had differential validity for African American and Caucasian forensic psychiatric inpatients. We compared 516 African American and Caucasian patients in our four most common Megargee types across demographic, clinical, and forensic variables. Our findings indicate that the profile descriptions of types Charlie, Delta, How, and Item cannot be applied with equal confidence to African American and Caucasian forensic patients. Although certain demographic factors did not differ across ethnic groups, there were differences in clinical/forensic and hospital assault variables. In addition, the Caucasian sample showed the expected pattern of associations, whereas the African American sample did not.