The Role of the Motivational Distortion Scale in the 16PF

For reasons unknown, the Motivational Distortion (MD) scale in two of the forms of the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (16PF) was discarded in a later version of the instrument. In this study, different profiles were obtained on the 16PF form containing the MD scale with 46 male inmates in a penal setting, when the participants were initially asked to answer the questions truth-fully, then in the retest to answer in a manner that would appear favorable. The test-retest scores were analyzed without Motivational Distortion adjustments and several of the factor scores were statistically different; however, when the Motivational Distortion adjustments were implemented and scores recalculated, differences on Factors A, M, O, and Q1 were no longer significant. The Motivational Distortion scale, therefore, appears to be useful and should be reinstated in the 16PF.