Date of Award

5-1-2008

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Industrial Technology Education

Abstract

The problem of this study was to identify the uses of personality assessments and their resulting consequences on employment at organizations registered with the Northwest Region of the U.S. Department ofHealth and Human Services. This investigation reported on the application of psychometric testing within the organizational context. Specific to this study was personality or behavioral assessments administered when recruiting, evaluating, or retaining workers, the potential implications ofbehaviorallpersonality assessments on workers within the organization, and the organizational value perceived by testers utilizing these forms of personality assessments. This investigation examined the current personality measuring practices of organizations by analyzing their responses to a survey questionnaire. The intent of the questionnaire was to determine if responses represented a trend toward a standardization of personality assessment use for purposes of employee development, recruitment, and retention. Response data revealed that use of personality/behavioral tests isn't prevalent at State registered health and human service organizations. Data collected exhibited limited familiarity of personality/behavioral assessments and a trend against a standardization of personality assessment use in health and human service organizations. Recommendations for future studies are specific to the fundamental hiring and screening processes administered at health and human service organizations, and the lV instruments utilized for screening individuals desiring to work with vulnerable or disadvantaged populations. Additionally, a duplicate study applying equivalent methodology to a dissimilar demographic re: law firms, retail outlets, or technology companies has the capacity to render information vital for broad analysis of consistency, contextual application, and diversity of workplace personality/behavioral testing.

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