Chapter 16: Testing in Counseling Psych

Question 1

Psych tests evaluate…

Answer 1

Abilities AND interests
-Interests can influence career decisions

Two widely used original interest tests:

• Strong Vocational Interest Bank (SVIB); 1927
• Kuder Preference Survey

Question 2

Strong Vocational Interest Bank (SVIB)

Answer 2

Premise: different professionals have different patterns of interest; hobbies may also be shared

Goal: Match a subjects interests to interests of people happy in their careers
-Criterion-group approach
+Pros
>300 people in each career sample
>High long-term test-retest reliability (starting at age 17)
+Cons
>No theoretical basis
>Gender bias- different norms and forms by gender

Question 3

Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory (SCII)

Answer 3

Respond to SVIB’s criticisms
-Single form for both genders
-Based on Holland’s theory
+Occupational interests express personality
+People fall into one of six interest categories
-7 parts, 325 items, “like, dislike, indifferent”

Question 4

SCII Six Interest Categories

Answer 4

Based on Holland’s theory

• Realistic: technical material and outdoor activity
• Investigative: science/process of investigation
• Artistic: self-expression/being dramatic
• Social (most in class): helping others
• Enterprising (least in class): power/political strength
• Conventional: well organized/clerical

Question 5

Strong-Campbell Scoring

Answer 5

4 sets of scores

• General themes from each interest category: activities enjoyed, people good to work w/, etc.
• Admin. indices: reliability measures
• Basic interests: e.g. science, math, athletics
• 124(!) occupational scales, using criterion-group comparisons

Question 6

Recent Versions of the Strong

Answer 6

Campbell Interest and Skill Survey (CISS)
-Criterion-group comparisons for 120 occupations

Strong Interest Inventory (SII)

• Construction: 5 point likert scale
• Results: 244 occupational scales and basic interest scales (predict selection of college major)

Question 7

Kuder Occupational Interest Survey (KOIS)

Answer 7

-2nd most used interest inventory to the SCII

-100 triads of alternative activities
+Select most and least preferred
+Criterion-group comparisons
+Used for choosing college major and career

-Psychometrics
+Interests remain stable over 30 years
+High predictive validity
-Working in a field suggested by KOIS (study results suggest college graduates are happier in their career)

Question 8

Other Vocational Interest Inventories

Answer 8

Career Assessment Inventory (CAI)

• Not for careers requiring college/professional training
• Uses Holland’s six occupational theme scales
• Lacks culture and gender bias

Self Directed Search (SDS)
-Self-administration, self scored, self interpreted
-Test-takers
\+List aspirations
\+Indicate occupational preferences
\+Rate abilities
-Linked to occupational finder
-Match your interest codes to occupations' codes

Question 9

Gender Bias

Answer 9

-Do interest inventories encourage gender-stereotypical careers?
-SVIB originally had different forms by gender
+Women-> careers with lower status and lower salaries
-Response: Unisex interest inventories
-Counter-response: these ignore reality: “Men and women have different interests.”