Critique of the Strong Interest Inventory - Research Paper Example

? Critique of the Strong Interest Inventory Critique of the Strong Interest Inventory Introduction The Strong Interest Inventory (SII) is a commonly used unique psychological measuring instrument in existence. It is mainly used in vocational counselling. It was first published in 1927, with a newer version in 1994. Both versions bare resemblance in construction and empirical procedures traditionally used in its development. The main goal of any psychological assessment is to assist in solving problem by providing information and recommendations necessary for the most optimal decisions to be made related to a particular client. The Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) assessment is similar to the strong Interest Inventory, and both provide very reliable information available concerned with career interests, personality, and work environments. Both tools differ in their unique ways in how they help individuals understand both themselves and their career options (Solso, Homer , & Kimberly, 1998). Purpose and nature of the Test The Strong Interest Inventory is an interest inventory applied in the assessment of careers. It is also widely applied in educational guidance, and has become the most popular career assessment tool. It was developed by psychologist E. K. Strong to assist people retiring from the military search and find suitable jobs. The modern version was revised by psychologist John L. Holland, and consists of two hundred and ninety one items. Each of these items asks an individual to indicate their preferences from five responses. The test is based on the assessment of interests that makes a great difference from aptitude tests or personality assessments. The test can be taken within 25 minutes, and the scores calculated by a computer. These results make it possible to define how some interests compare to the interests of people employed successfully in specific jobs. Description of the purpose and nature of the test is an interest inventory for a client to measure his or her interest and interpret the optimal career path. It is targeted to people who want a job change, career change, or assistance with career development opportunities as it provides a solid, dependable guide for clients. The principle purpose is to identify general areas of interest, specific activities, and occupations for further exploration. Other clients who would be interested in taking the test include workers seeking more satisfying work in organisations, students exploring career options, employers seeking to retain the best employees and star staff, and other people in their mid life or elderly planning to retire. The results of the test includes: scores of the level of interest for each of the six Holland codes or general occupational themes, Scores on thirty basic interest scales such as art, science, and public speaking, Scores on 224 occupational scales that shows the similarity between the respondents interests and those of people employed in each of the 122 occupations, scores of five personal style scales consisting of learning, working, leadership, risk taking, and team orientation. Finally, scores on three administrative scales used to identify test errors or unusual profiles. Strong Interest Inventory is a registered trademark of CPP, Inc of Mountain View, California. Administration and Evaluation The evaluation covers the history of the instrument, the current form, content, administration, and evidence of reliability and validity. The people with great interest in the test are human resource practitioners specializing in areas of selection and development, recruitment and selection specialists, managers or consultants who may want to apply ability or aptitude tests within selection and assessment, and coaches wishing to apply ability tests and interest inventories for purposes of career guidance (Russell, 1999). Strong Interest Inventory is an open access program, that is, no previous experience or knowledge is required provided one goes through a certification program such as Occupational, Ability Programme (OPP) of the British Psychological Society (BPS). This program registers the test users to be able to administer the instrument, and successful delegates are accredited to use ability tests competently and adhering to international standards. These qualifications are suitable and offer enough portfolios in the ability and aptitude tests, which can be targeted to assessment, selection, recruitment, and career guidance (Patten, 2002). Evaluation can be categorized into practical evaluation, technical evaluation, and summary evaluation. Successful career developments depends one’s ability to conduct an accurate self evaluation. The evaluation of Strong Interest Inventory must consider factors significant to the client (Raymore, Godbey, & Crawford, 1994) Types of psychological test used The main types of psychological test used in the articles are the TAT (Thematic Apperception Test). In the articles, the thematic test are used for assessing the personality through a projective technique that focuses on the dominant drives, sentiments, their emotions, complexes as well as the attitudes of employees. It also focuses on the conflicts (Woodside, et al, 2000). Examinee responding modes The examinee responding mode is also highlighted in the papers. Most of the examinee responding modes was very high, with many of them scoring the 111A, in the Arithmetic Reasoning (AR), Mathematics Knowledge (MK), Paragraph Comprehension (PC), and Word Knowledge (WK). This is very high response and was likely drawn from very intelligent personnel (Raymore, Godbey, & Crawford, 1994). Theories in which the test are based The test was based mainly on the classical test theory and the item response theory as they are the most effective theories for psychological tests Validity and reliability The structural validity of the test (SII) with o the diverse population is very low and might affect the generalizabilty of the test results. The aculturalization constructs is not measured by the SII and therefore is one of the weaknesses of the SII test. This constructs is very important as it tries to assess the effects of acculturalization on people vocational interest and self efficacy. The SII has very high internal consistency reliability. The GOT reliabilities vary from .91 to .94, BISs from .81 to .93, and PSSs from .83 to .88. General Occupational Themes Reliability ( All GOT have internal consistency reliability of 0.91) Basic Interest Scales Reliability: The median reliability estimate of the actual internal consistency for 30 BIS was is 0.87. Validity: the Initial validity research of the 30 BIS indicate that 68–78% of the variance in the broad occupational groups, Occupational Scales Reliability: The median test and retest reliability for revised OS is 0.86 across two to seven months Interval Personal Style Scales Reliability: Internal consistency reliabilities vary from 0.87 to 0.82. Usefulness of this test for your purposes as a future counsellor This test is very important to me as a future counsellor because it helps me to compare my interest with that of other people who are successfully employed in various occupations. The test is also important in understanding the world and how to divide and view the world in various themes; it therefore provides one with the clear view of the bigger picture. This test is also useful to me as it would provide a new way of looking at me and other people who will come to me for counselling. However, the most important aspect of this test is that it provides a better way of articulating ideas and counselling service users as well as my interest while dealing with other people (Patten, 2002). References Raymore, L., Godbey, G. and Crawford, D. (1994), ‘‘Self-esteem, gender and socioeconomic status: their relation to perceptions of constraint on leisure among adolescents’’, Journal of Leisure Research, Vol. 26 No. 2, pp. 99-118. Woodside, A.G., Crouch, G.I., Mazanec, J.A., Oppermannn, M. and Sakai, M.Y. (2000), Consumer Psychology of Tourism, Hospitality, and Leisure, CABI Publishing, New York, NY. Patten, Mildred L. (2002). Understanding research methods: An Overview of the essentials (3rd ed.). Los Angeles: Pyrczak Publishing. Schutt, Russell K. (1999). Investigating the social world: the Process and practice of research (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks: Pine Forge Press. Solso, Robert L., Johnson, Homer H., & Beal, M. Kimberly. (1998). Experimental psychology: a case approach (6th ed.). New York: Longman. Read More