Career Assessment Part I

Assessment History –1883 U.S. Civil Service Commission –1940’s aptitude batteries Psychometric Properties –Reliability Types –Test retest reliability –Alternate forms reliability –Split half reliability

Assessment Peterson, Sampson, and Reardon (1991): Factors that impact stability (reliability) –The stability of the trait being measured –Group differences: race, ethnicity, gender etc. –Individual differences: genetic endowments, age etc. –The nature of performance for the variable being measured –The internal consistence of the test, how psychometrically sound is the test? What is the problem with using a test that does not have proven reliability?

Assessment Psychometric Properties –Validity Types –Content validity –Criterion validity What is the problem with using a test that does not have proven validity Assessment with minority groups –APPLICABILITY! –CHECK THE NORM SAMPLE

Types of Assessment Career Beliefs Inventories –Assess beliefs about careers and other factors Career Beliefs Inventory Career Thoughts Inventory My Vocational Situation Aptitude Tests –Assess potential and/or current ability General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB) The Differential Aptitude Test (GAT) Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB)

Types of Assessments Academic Achievement –Assess present level of academic knowledge and ability See page 218 Career Interest Inventories –Measures level of interest in occupations The Strong Interest Inventory and the Kuder General Interest Survey are the most widely used interest inventories

Interest Inventories Kuder General Interest Survey –1. Outdoor –2. Mechanical –3. Computational –4. Scientific –5. Persuasive –6. Artistic –7. Literary –8. Musical –9. Social Services –10. Clerical

Interest Inventories Strong Interest Inventory –1. General Occupational themes –2. Basic Interest Scales –3. Occupational Scales

Assessment Personality Variables –Determining fit with personality type and work environment is important –16PF most widely used personality assessment in career counseling Developed by Raymond Cattell Currently in the 5 th edition 185 item test 5 th grade readability level Can be hand or computer scored

16 Personality Factor Questionnaire Psychometrics –Test retest reliability.56 to.79 –Internal consistency.64 to. 85 Interpretive Information –16 primary factor scales –5 global factor scales –3 validity indices

16 Personality Factor Questionnaire Global Factors –Extraversion –Anxiety –Tough-Mindedness –Independence –Self-Control

16 Personality Factor Questionnaire Primary Scales –Warmth Vigilance –Reasoning Abstractedness –Emotional Stability Privateness –Dominance Apprehension –LivelinessOpenness to Change –Rule-ConsciousnessSelf-Reliance –Social BoldnessPerfectionism –SensitivityTension

Assessment Determining Values –Work values –Lifestyle values Career Maturity Variables –Measures vocational development Computer assisted guidance assessment –Pros –Cons