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MMPI profiles of troubled employees in relation to nuclear power plant personnel norms

Conference · · Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States)
OSTI ID:5528243

The psychological screening of nuclear power plant personnel is intended to reduce the risk of impaired worker judgment or behavior due to psychopathology. Despite inherent difficulties associated with the prediction of infrequent events, such efforts, mandated by industry standards (ANSI/ANS-3.3-1982 and -3.4-1983) and federal regulations (10CFR5 and 10CFR73), appear both reasonable and prudent. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) has been used extensively to aid psychological screening evaluations of employees in the nuclear industry, as well as in other employment settings critical to public health and safety. Since traditional predictive validity study is not feasible in security screening, support for this use of the MMPI rests upon the large accumulated body of research indicating its construct validity as a measure of psychopathology. However, that research has been based predominantly upon clinical populations and a question has been raised as to the appropriateness of generalization to employment populations. The present study examines the MMPI as a measure of psychopathology in a nuclear plant employment population. In particular, it compares the MMPI results of troubled employees to normative base rates.

Research Organization:
Tennessee Valley Authority, Chattanooga
OSTI ID:
5528243
Report Number(s):
CONF-870601-
Journal Information:
Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States), Journal Name: Trans. Am. Nucl. Soc.; (United States) Vol. 54; ISSN TANSA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English