| The purpose of the present study was to examine the performance of child custody litigants on the MCMI-III and Rorschach and to compare the two personality measures. Despite the increasing involvement of psychologists in child custody evaluations and the frequent use of these two instruments, few studies have examined the use of these instruments with child custody litigants or how they compare and relate to each other with this population. Previous research has identified common elevations on MCMI-III scales, but it is unclear if these elevations are due to impression management caused by the stress and importance of the evaluation or because of personality pathology. The distinction between these two possible reasons is vital in helping determine parental fitness and the best interests of the child involved.;The present study hypothesized that there would be significant correlations between the MCMI-III Scale Y (Desirability) and the Rorschach Response variable, the MCMI-III Scale 4 (Histrionic) and the Rorschach Afr and SumT variables, the MCMI-III Scale 5 (Narcissistic) and the Rorschach Egocentricity Index, Reflection, and Pair variables, and the MCMI-III Scale 7 (Compulsive) and the Rorschach Obsessive Style Index and its subcomponents. It was also hypothesized that child custody litigants would significantly elevate Scales Y, 4, 5, and 7 on the MCMI-III and the SumV, SumY, and m variables on the Rorschach, while the Adj D variable on the Rorschach would be negative. Results of the present study found no significant correlations between the hypothesized variables. Consistent with previous research, the hypothesized MCMI-III scales were elevated to significant clinical or subclinical levels. Of the situational stress variables on the Rorschach, only the SumV variable indicated significant increased stress. |
