A Vocational interest test minus sex bias

The Vocational Preference Inventory responses from 290 subjects (110 males and 180 females) 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. Group interest scale scores are presented for each of the Holland scales and data are produced which indicate that no violence was done to the Holland coding system.     

Psychometric intelligence and adaptive competence in rural Philippine children

Psychometric intelligence and adaptive competence constructs were compared in 5-to 7-year-old children in a rural Philippine barrio. Individual psychometric subtests of intelligence, indigenous with respect to content, and a form for obtaining adults' ratings of children's adaptive competencies (skill in, or adaptation to, the natural and social demands of their environment) were developed. Acceptable reliabilities, increases in performance with age, and reasonable patterns of scale intercorrelations indicate that the two ecologically relevant measures are reasonably reliable and construct-valid operationalizations of the psychometric intelligence and adaptive competence constructs. Concurrent validities of the psychometric intelligence subtests versus school grades demonstrate the meaningfulness of the psychometric intelligence construct in this setting and associate it with “scholastic aptitude,” as in Western settings. Verbal/intellective aspects of adaptive competence—as compared to the children's competence in everyday barrio skills and responsibilities (e.g., domestic and livelihood tasks, personal-care functions)—were found to be more related to school performance and psychometric intelligence.     

The working mother: A critique of the research

This article provides a critique of the research on the working mother. Three major areas of research are reviewed: (1) the effects of maternal employment on preschoolers; (2) the working mother and school age children; and (3) working mothers, identity development, and life satisfaction. It was concluded that the research on maternal employment provided very few definitive answers regarding the effects of a mother's working on her family, children, and herself. Guidelines for conducting future research on maternal employment are presented.     

Career perspectives of male prison inmates in college courses

The article presents a profile of college-attending prison inmates' personality and vocational interests based on Holland's theory of careers and an assessment of their attitudes that are critical in realistic career decision-making.     

Basic interests of men in 62 occupations

The 22 basic interest categories on the Strong Vocational Interest Blank for Men were used to classify the interests of men in 62 occupations. The number of basic items which differentiated the interests of men in the occupation from men-in-general was divided by the total number of basic items for each category. These percentages were then ranked in descending order so that the relative importance of different types of interests for various occupations could be easily determined. At least nine categories were required to describe adequately the interests of most occupational groups.     

Criteria in lay self-judgment of anger control

The basis of judgment by laypersons in the self-evaluation of difficulties with anger control is examined. Responses to a set of 10 specific criteria of anger control problems and a self-rating of degree of problem were obtained on 190 subjects. The criteria and problem ratings were found to have satisfactory testretest reliability. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that certain criteria entered more than others into the self-judgments of anger control problems. Exploratory factor analysis produced three factors, interpreted as Personal Difficulties with Anger, Aggression, and Hostility, which replicated some of the previous research. Implications of the findings for a social constructivist view of self-judgment of anger and aggression and the development of self-report instruments are discussed. Additional studies with other samples are suggested.