Two approaches to the validation of occupational interest inventories are considered. The approaches vary according to whether one is interested in predicting students' occupational preferences as opposed to assisting counselors in advisement. One empirical example using female college students is presented. (Author/JKS)

Sex-restrictive and sex-balanced interest scores obtained before college were compared for college seniors using the Holland interest/personality types as criteria. Results suggest that sex-balanced interest scores are more valid than sex-restrictive scores across four years of college. Implications for practitioners are noted. (Author)

Recent research is summarized on interest assessment procedures as it bears on the issue of sex restrictiveness. Studies documenting sex restrictiveness in widely used interest inventories are cited, and alternatives to sex-restrictive interest assessment are suggested. Separate consideration is given to basic interest scales and to occupational…

The construct validity of vocational interest test scores was examined by finding the interest profiles of 15,447 college students in 51 majors. Standard scores based on same-sex norms were found to be more valid on this criterion than were raw scores. (CTM)

A procedure for using the interest scores of occupational group members to locate (map) occupations on Holland's (1969, 1971) hexagon is described. The procedure locates occupations throughout the hexagon--not just at six points. Score profiles for Holland's six types were obtained from administration of the Unisex Edition of the ACT Interest…

Sex restrictiveness and sex bias in occupational interest scales are reviewed, and some alternative solutions are briefly discussed. Traditionally, it was thought that sex restrictive interest inventories merely reflected the inherent differences between males and females. The author defines sex restrictiveness according to the degree that the…

Many vocational interest inventories in common use are sex restrictive in that scores obtained by males typically suggest "men's work" while those obtained by females suggest "women's work." Recent research on sex restrictiveness in basic vocational interest scales is summarized. (MLW)