MMPI-2 Profiles of Filicidal, Mariticidal, and Homicidal Women

The present study compared the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory--2 (MMPI-2) clinical and content scale profiles of a group of adult women (N = 73) charged with either murder of their child (filicide) (n = 30), their partner (mariticide) (n = 19), or an unrelated adult (homicide) (n = 24). No significant differences were seen among the three groups on either the MMPI-2 clinical or content scales. Clinical inspection of the 53 valid MMPI-2 profiles (F [is less than] 110T) revealed a 6-8 mean profile for the filicidal women, a 2-6 mean profile for the mariticidal women, and a 4-8 mean profile for the homicidal women. Application of the data for criminal forensic psychological evaluations is discussed. [C] 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc., J Clin Psychol 57: 367-374, 2001. Keywords: MMPI-2: filicide; murder; criminal; women