Psychometric properties of the grade 4 reading level Multiple Affect Adjective Check List-Revised with offenders.

The reliability and validity of the Grade 4 reading level Multiple Affect Adjective Check List was assessed with offenders in four settings within the criminal justice system. With the exception of the Sensation Seeking Scale, the MAACL-R4 scales showed good internal consistency and test-retest reliability and adequate convergent and discriminant validity, but not for the Depression scale for 53 female arrestees and the Hostility scale with 51 male arrestees. Correlations with self-ratings of health and stress and with the Family Environment scales were in expected directions. It is concluded that the MAACL-R4 has the basic qualities necessary for use in research with offenders.