Verbal/performance splits in inmates assessed with the Multidimensional Aptitude Battery

A series of tables were created to examine the phenomenon of the overrepresentation of verbal/performance splits among incarcerated felons. Multidimensional Aptitude Battery (MAB; Jackson, 1984) scores were obtained for 1,225 adult male felons referred to a reception and diagnostic center for evaluation. The findings suggest that there is a significant, consistent overrepresentation of verbal/performance splits, with the performance score usually higher, among incarcerated male felons. The data further suggest that this phenomenon is not linked directly to age, reading level, or general level of intelligence.