The effects of response bias on sex differences in a psychiatric population

A sample of 58 male and 84 female new admissions to a psychiatric facility was interviewed to identify sex differences in personal and social functioning. Female subjects were found to score significantly higher on intrapsychic distress scales while male subjects scored higher on scales measuring antisocial behavior. Using analysis of covariance, keeping the L- or Lie scale of the MMPI constant, all measures which had previously shown significant sex differences now became nonsignificant. This finding suggests that reported sex differences may be accounted for by response bias.