The present study analyzes the psychometric properties of the Career Decision Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form (CDSE-SF) in a sample of Portuguese secondary education students using the Rasch model. The results indicate that the 25 items of the CDSE-SF are well fitted to a latent unidimensional structure, as required by Rasch modeling. The response…

The responses of 2813 individuals to the Personal Globe Inventory (Tracey, 2002) were examined with the goal of developing a shorter, yet valid version of the scale using item response theory to guide the process. A random sample of 1000 individuals was used to select the best items and then the remaining 1813 were used as a validation sample to…

We surveyed 506 Australian high school students on career development (exploration, planning, job-knowledge, decision-making, indecision), personal functioning (well-being, self-esteem, life satisfaction, school satisfaction) and control variables (parent education, school achievement), and tested differences among work-bound, college-bound and…

Asserts that fragmentation of academic disciplines handicaps efforts to deal rationally with problems arising from group differences in general intelligence. Contends that open discussions like those appearing in this special journal issue are necessary, and illustrates arguments through comments on moral, scientific, and legal concerns addressed…

The investigative subscale of the Holland Self-Directed Search (SDS) vocational interest inventory was examined for sex-role stereotyping. Male and female psychology researchers and practitioners (N=842) completed the SDS and a revised set of investigative items. Results indicated that the SDS investigative items contain sex bias. (Author/NRB)

Reviews previous six papers concerning fairness in employment testing. Contends that papers focus narrowly on legal, theoretical, and societal issues and provide little new information. Argues that industrial psychologists and governmental lawyers are retreating into rigidly defined positions and that the future will be marked by long, costly, and…

Argues on basis of research on importance of "g" (intelligence) factor and racial differences in "g" that many valid, unbiased tests can be expected to produce high levels of adverse impact when used in race-neutral manner, especially in high-level jobs. Argues that unrealistic expectation regarding racial parity often leads employers to adopt…

Argues that occupational tests can exclude racial minorities and that many industrial psychologists have overlooked evidence that many tests are biased and that some claims for validity generalization are based on faulty science. Outlines what plaintiff's counsel looks for in deciding to try a testing case, and provides primer on how to challenge…

The Vocational Preference Inventory responses from 290 subjects were subjected to a Rasch item analysis, one of a class of latent trait models. After elimination of 22 items which did not fit the model, a sex-free form of the VPI was obtained. (Author)

Draws on examples from college athletics, education, and personal experience to describe racial unfairness both of using scholastic tests where they should not be used and of not using them where they should be used. Suggests that greater consideration be given to reasons for administering or withholding tests and whether such action is…

Recent concern for eliminating Strong Vocational Interest Blank (SVIB) sex bias has focused on the current use of separately normed Occupational Scales for the two sexes. This study implemented six basic methods of scale construction to examine the feasibility of combined-sex scales. (Author)

Considers racial impact of using ability tests for employment decisions. Notes agreement that large differences exist in performance on general ability among races and that there is probable relation between general ability and job performance for most jobs; disagreement about whether racial differences in general ability are fixed and about size…

Refers to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Supreme Court's disparate impact interpretation of Title VII in Griggs versus Duke Power Company. Contends that attacks on the Griggs decision are legally unsound and that claims made by advocates of validity generalization are scientifically unsupported. (Author/NB)

Draws from validity generalization research to summarize evidence disputing theories that objective employment tests are either biased against minorities or lack utility. Argues that group differences in test scores do not result from deficiencies in tests, but in skills they measure. Suggests that measurement-based research does not provide…

In the first of these three articles, methods for reporting vocational interests which do and do not reflect sex role stereotypes are examined. The second article is a reply to problems noted in the first article, and the third article is a rebuttal by the first authors. (Author/HMV)