Gender Differences in the Validity of Career Interest Inventories

Abstract

Predictive validity (including hit rates, kappa coefficients, and chance expectancy rates) between standard scoring and person matching was compared by gender based upon ex post facto data collected on 5143 medical students who had taken a career interest inventory and entered their medical residency. Hit rate accuracy for person matching with females and males in this study was lower than standard scoring. However, person matching demonstrated greater gender balancing in first match hit rates. Additionally, person matching increased career interest inventory validity over standard scoring as it has the greater ability to a) differentiate between and b) assign to specific occupational groups for females and males. Furthermore, person matching has the potential to offer female and male test takers the ability to receive narrative career data, which could improve the career decision making process over the scoring reports of career interest inventories using standard scoring.