ITEM GENERATION PROCEDURES AND BACKGROUND DATA SCALES: IMPLICATIONS FOR CONSTRUCT AND CRITERION-RELATED VALIDITY

Background data measures are one of the best predictors of job performance. Nonetheless, questions have been raised about their content and construct validity. The present effort describes a set of procedures for developing construct and content valid background data items. Data gathered in seven field studies and six laboratory studies are presented bearing on the reliability and validity of the measures constructed using these item generation procedures. Findings in these studies indicate that construct-based item generation procedures yield reliable scales evidencing both content and construct validity. Furthermore, these scales are capable of predicting performance in a variety of settings. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings for the development and validation of background data measures are discussed.     

Adolescents' romantic relationships and the structure and quality of their close interpersonal ties

Several interpersonal theories suggest that adolescents' romantic relationships are associated with distinct patterns of social experience. In this study, 1,049 adolescents indicated whether they had a boy/girlfriend and the temporal duration of the relationship. They described the structure of their peer networks and the quality of their relationships with a parent/adult and best friend. Adolescents with a boy/girlfriend reported larger networks, more opposite-sex friends, and more nonschool friends. Adolescents with longer romantic relationships reported more social support with the boy/girlfriend than did adolescents with short-term romantic relationships. Temporal duration also moderated the salience of the romantic relationship. Those of short duration were viewed less favorably than friend and parent/adult relationships, whereas those of longer duration were viewed more favorably. Finally, continuity in perceived quality was evident between romantic and other relationships. Overall, the results support the view that romantic relationships are embedded within adolescents' ongoing social experience and show important links to the structure and quality of their relationships with parents and with peers.     

PREDICTING NAVY EFFECTIVENESS: EXPECTATIONS, MOTIVATION, PERSONALITY, APTITUDE, AND BACKGROUND VARIABLES

The purpose of this study was to identify predictors of performance within seven Navy occupational groups. Life history, expectations, motivation, personality, and aptitude variables were used as predictors of a 2-year effectiveness criterion for 7,923 enlisted Navy men and women. Results of multiple regression analyses showed that the most powerful predictors included: years of schooling, school expulsions and suspensions, the two Comrey Personality Scales of Social Conformity and Orderliness, arrests, age, General Classification Test (aptitude), and Peer Cohesion (expectations). Comparisons across groups indicated that the development of separate equations for each occupation was not supported. Recommendations were made to improve selection procedures and to change several aspects of the organization, suggestions which would be expected to increase rates of effective performance.     

Group Counseling Children of Divorce in the Elementary Schools: Understanding Process and Technique

One approach to counseling the children of divorced or separated parents includes the children in peer-group counseling sessions. The authors offer guidelines and techniques for elementary school counselors in establishing such a group-counseling program.     

Displaced Homemakers: Unresolved Issues

The problems of displaced homemakers are not new, nor are they associated with only one target group. By reexamining the literature and personal counseling experiences of the 1960's, Zawada identifies 16 problems that overlap with those of today's displaced homemakers. Hopefully, this identification of unresolved issues will provide a working base for helping this new target group.     

Sex and Race Bias in Employment Decisions: Black Women Considered

The purpose of this investigation was to explore sex and race discrimination in employment at the managerial level, with special focus on Black women.     

Attribution Retraining as a Structured Group Counseling Intervention

The efficacy of attribution retraining as a structured group counseling intervention was tested. Participants were classified as having either an adaptive or nonadaptive attributional style. Three groups of participants were then created: Adaptive Group, Nonadaptive Group, Treatment Group (nonadaptive attributional style participants who received treatment involving attribution retraining). Results indicated that participants in the Treatment Group made relatively more adaptive attributions (similar to the adaptive Group) for an experimentally induced uncontrollable failure and reported lower levels of depressive mood than the Nonadaptive Group. Results are discussed as providing partial support for the efficacy of attribution retraining as a structured group counseling intervention.