Kent, Melissa (2010) Using the Coping Responses Inventory to Complement Detection of Dissimulation on the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory, Third Edition. Coursework Masters thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
Abstract
The current study aimed to investigate whether another measure, the Coping Responses Inventory (CRI), would be useful in complementing the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory, Third Edition’s (MCMI-III) modifying indices in the detection of dissimulation in a naturalistic pre-employment psychological screening context. Concern for response distortion, or ‘dissimulation’, on personality inventories has been recognised as an important test validity issue. The Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory, Third Edition (MCMI-III) is a widely used objective personality inventory that includes a number of scales designed to detect dissimulation. However, research into the effectiveness of these scales in detecting dissimulation has found that they are moderate at best, and the methodologies of these studies have been limited to artificial, instructional set methodologies.
Archival data were used based on a convenience sample of Australian community members who applied for positions within a Queensland emergency services organisation from 2002 until 2004 (n=771). As part of the application process, participants completed the MCMI-III, the CRI and a number of other measures.
Statistical analyses were performed using standard multiple regression, Analyses of Variance (ANOVAs) and multivariate General Linear Modelling (GLM). Results suggested that coping styles were related to responses on the modifying indices of the MCMI-III; that individuals with an avoidant coping style were more likely to engage in dissimulation than those with an approach coping style; that the classic defensive response set proposed as the result of previous research was not useful in detecting dissimulation by either approach or avoidant copers in the context of the current study; that approach and avoidant copers produce distinctive response sets on the MCMI-III modifying indices in this context; and that gender provides no additional value when screening responses on the MCMI-III for dissimulation.
Overall it was concluded that the results of the current study add to the body of literature regarding detection of dissimulation on the MCMI-III and provide a practical suggestion for improving the ability of the MCMI-III to detect dissimulation in a situation in which the detection of dissimulation is vitally important.
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| Item Type: | Thesis (Non-Research) (Coursework Masters) |
|---|---|
| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Additional Information: | Current UniSQ staff and students can request access to this thesis. Please email research.repository@unisq.edu.au with a subject line of SEAR thesis request and provide: Name of the thesis requested and Your name and UniSQ email address |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Historic - Faculty of Sciences - Department of Psychology (Up to 30 Jun 2013) |
| Supervisors: | Quinn, Andrea |
| Qualification: | Master of Psychology (Clinical) |
| Date Deposited: | 08 Jan 2026 03:51 |
| Last Modified: | 08 Jan 2026 03:51 |
| Fields of Research (2008): | 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1799 Other Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 179999 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences not elsewhere classified |
| Fields of Research (2020): | 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5299 Other psychology > 529999 Other psychology not elsewhere classified |
| URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/52468 |
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