L-R / K-R
Definition
MMPI-2-RF under-reporting validity scales; L-r (Uncommon Virtues) and K-r (Adjustment Validity) detect unrealistically positive self-presentation.
- Instrument
- MMPI-2-RF
- Category
- Under-reporting validity scales
- L-r
- Uncommon Virtues
- K-r
- Adjustment Validity
Common questions
What does an elevated L-r or K-r score suggest in a forensic evaluation?+
It suggests the person answered in an unrealistically positive, virtuous, or well-adjusted direction, which is common in contexts like child custody or fitness-for-duty evaluations where the person has an incentive to look good.
Does a high L-r or K-r invalidate the whole MMPI-2-RF profile?+
Not automatically. The examiner weighs how elevated the scores are against established cutoffs and considers them alongside other validity scales before deciding whether the clinical scales can still be interpreted.
Related terms
- ANT (Antisocial Features)
- PAI clinical scale with three subscales (Antisocial Behaviors, Egocentricity, Stimulus Seeking); correlates substantially with PCL-R scores in forensic samples.
- Base Rate (BR) Scoring
- MCMI-IV scoring system that replaces T-scores with prevalence-adjusted scores; BR 75 indicates trait elevation, BR 85 supports diagnostic inference.
- F-R (Infrequency-Revised)
- MMPI-2-RF over-reporting validity scale measuring endorsement of rare psychological content; elevation above T=80 raises concern about symptom exaggeration.
- FBS-R (Symptom Validity Scale-Revised)
- MMPI-2-RF scale developed to detect over-reported somatic and cognitive symptoms in personal-injury litigation; contested validity in traumatically injured genuine plaintiffs.
- Fp-R (Infrequency-Psychopathology-Revised)
- MMPI-2-RF over-reporting validity scale measuring endorsement of items rarely endorsed even by genuine psychiatric patients; stronger malingering indicator than F-r in forensic...
- MAL (Malingering Index)
- PAI configuration-based supplementary index developed for forensic populations to detect feigned psychopathology; used alongside NIM and clinical scales.
- MCMI-IV
- Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory, Fourth Edition; 195-item instrument with base-rate scoring, aligned with DSM-5 personality disorder criteria.
- MMPI-2-RF
- Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form; 338-item self-report instrument with 51 scales, the most researched personality measure in forensic psychology.
- NIM (Negative Impression Management)
- PAI primary over-reporting validity scale; T-scores above 73 typically raise concern about feigned psychopathology in forensic evaluations.
- PAI
- Personality Assessment Inventory; 344-item instrument with 22 non-overlapping scales, built on construct-validation strategy; NIM and supplementary indices detect over-reporting.
- RBS (Response Bias Scale)
- MMPI-2-RF supplementary validity scale predicting performance validity test failure; developed specifically to detect self-reported memory complaints inconsistent with objective testing.