{"title":"The manifestation of the 10 personality aspects amongst the facets of the Basic Traits Inventory","authors":"Xander van Lill, N. Taylor","doi":"10.4102/AJOPA.V3I0.31","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/AJOPA.V3I0.31","url":null,"abstract":"Personality traits play an important role in the prediction of important work-related outcomes. Adapting the level at which personality constructs are measured can assist in predicting work-related outcomes at the corresponding level of specificity with greater accuracy. This study investigates whether eight hierarchical factors (also referred to as personality aspects) manifest amongst the facets of the Basic Traits Inventory (BTI). The study is based on an archival dataset of 1359 South African employees. Orthogonal first-order, single-factor, higher-order, oblique lower-order and bifactor models were specified to investigate the hierarchical structure of eight of the 10 personality aspects. The evidence supports the notion that seven of the 10 personality aspects (as measured by the BTI) could be more parsimoniously interpreted as total scores, but not necessarily hierarchical factors, amongst South African employees. It is, therefore, practically meaningful for practitioners to calculate such scores when the need arises for more detailed levels of prediction when selecting applicants or developing employees.","PeriodicalId":34043,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Psychological Assessment","volume":"152 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-03-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"79676801","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Over reliance on model fit indices in confirmatory factor analyses may lead to incorrect inferences about bifactor models: A cautionary note","authors":"T. Pretorius","doi":"10.4102/AJOPA.V3I0.35","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/AJOPA.V3I0.35","url":null,"abstract":"This brief article attempts to describe the importance of relying not just on model fit indices, but also on bifactor, confirmatory factor analysis to examine the factor structure of instruments presumed to be multidimensional. Three ancillary bifactor indices (explained common variance, omega hierarchical and percentage uncontaminated correlations) were calculated for three instruments that have been described as multidimensional in published research. One of these instruments, the Normative Beliefs about Aggression Scale (NOBAGS) demonstrated strong evidence of multidimensionality. The second instrument, Problem-Solving Inventory demonstrated some evidence of multidimensionality, but must be considered essentially unidimensional because of lack of sufficient evidence. The third instrument, Cyberchondria Severity Scale demonstrated essential unidimensionality with little evidence of multidimensionality. These findings support the argument that using only model fit statistics may lead researchers to draw incorrect conclusions about the dimensionality of an instrument.","PeriodicalId":34043,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Psychological Assessment","volume":"11 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"88673973","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Relevance of the person-environment fit approach to career assessment in South Africa – A review","authors":"Nabeelah Bemath","doi":"10.4102/ajopa.v2i0.22","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/ajopa.v2i0.22","url":null,"abstract":"Despite concerns regarding its relevance, the person-environment fit approach to career counselling assessment remains a popular one in the South African context. This may be due to a lack of awareness of, or regard for, these concerns among career counselling assessment practitioners working in South Africa. This narrative review thus aimed to summarise literature regarding the relevance of the person-environment fit approach to career counselling assessment in South Africa and alternatives to this approach. Keywords were used to search for, and identify, literature on several electronic databases. Additional literature was identified through citations and citing publications in the initial literature obtained. Given the nature of a narrative review, no inclusion, exclusion or appraisal criteria were specified. Based on the review of literature, the following themes and subthemes were identified: questionable relevance of the person-environment approach (inadequate reliability and validity of tests in the South African context, Western-based theoretical underpinnings, language and socio-economic bias, and inadequate norms for the South African context) and alternative directions of career counselling assessment in this context (development of emic tests, qualitative assessment approaches and integrated assessment approaches). The findings suggest that an integrated quantitative-qualitative approach to career counselling assessment may be a feasible alternative to the person-environment fit approach. However, further research and development regarding the person-environment fit approach and other career counselling assessment approaches is required in order to move towards a more relevant career counselling assessment practice in South Africa.","PeriodicalId":34043,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Psychological Assessment","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86277348","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Review: Transforming research methods in the social sciences: Case studies from South Africa","authors":"Werner de Klerk, Elinda Harmse","doi":"10.4102/ajopa.v2i0.27","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/ajopa.v2i0.27","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":34043,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Psychological Assessment","volume":"126 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"76674466","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Chevon P. Haarhoff, C. Gadd, B. Semenya, R. V. Eeden
{"title":"Standardising the single and double letter cancellation test for South African military personnel","authors":"Chevon P. Haarhoff, C. Gadd, B. Semenya, R. V. Eeden","doi":"10.4102/ajopa.v2i0.19","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/ajopa.v2i0.19","url":null,"abstract":"Neuropsychological testing is widely used for specialised placements within the military. Within the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), there is concern about the representation of the normative information currently available for these tests. The letter cancellation test, a paper-and-pencil-based test used as a quick measure of attention, is subject to unstandardised administration and scoring procedures as well as broad cut-off scores. The aim of this study was to develop detailed administration and scoring procedures for the single and double letter cancellation test and to provide preliminary normative data on these versions of the test in the SANDF. A non-probability sampling strategy resulted in a sample of 292 participants. Normative data are provided for the total sample and classified into three performance categories: omissions, errors and time. Between-group comparisons indicated gender and age-related differences (but no differences for rank) in terms of time, and normative data are therefore also provided for related subgroups.","PeriodicalId":34043,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Psychological Assessment","volume":"24 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-06-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"89735967","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The need for contextually appropriate career counselling assessment: Using narrative approaches in career counselling assessment in African contexts","authors":"Kobus Maree","doi":"10.4102/ajopa.v2i0.18","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/ajopa.v2i0.18","url":null,"abstract":"This article reports on the value of using narrative approaches in career counselling assessment in African contexts in addition to quantitative approaches to enhance the contextual relevance of assessment. The narrative represents a response to calls for local research on career counselling assessment theory and practice. A number of factors that co-determine the development of theory and assessment-related strategies are elaborated herein. The view is expressed that the feasibilities of the 21st-century labour markets should co-determine assessment-related strategies and theory development. In addition, the imperative to constantly innovate assessment in career counselling is emphasised against the background of the shift in emphasis from climbing the career ladder to flourishing in unstructured occupational contexts before some caveats for the successful implementation of postmodern approaches to assessment in career counselling are explicated briefly. The call for advancing the theory base in career counselling assessment-related matters in Global South contexts in general and African contexts in particular is repeated. It is concluded that career counselling assessment theory and practice should be conceptualised from the key perspective that it should particularly meet the basic criteria of contextual relevance.","PeriodicalId":34043,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Psychological Assessment","volume":"4 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"84217699","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A Brief Sailor Resiliency Scale for the South African Navy","authors":"C. Wijk, Jarred H. Martin","doi":"10.4102/ajopa.v1i0.12","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/ajopa.v1i0.12","url":null,"abstract":"Resilience constructs and measures in the military context are of particular interest because of their association with general performance and mental health outcomes. However, in spite of the reported advantages, the use of resilience assessment models faces two challenges: firstly, measurement and, secondly, operational application within the military environment. This article aimed to provide preliminary validation for a Brief Sailor Resiliency Scale (BSRS) for use in the South African Navy (SAN) in order to discuss its operational application for individuals and groups. The study used a sample of active-duty SAN sailors, distributed throughout the fleet. Participants ( N = 1312) completed the BSRS, together with established measures of resiliency and emotional regulation, and also provided socio-demographic information. The psychometric structure of the scale was examined, firstly, through confirmatory factor analysis within structural equation modelling, and secondly socio-demographic effects and construct validity were also explored. The model yielded acceptable fit and high internal consistency. Furthermore, the results support the construct validity of the scale. The data appear to support the contention that comprehensive resilience screening measures, while still brief and time-effective, could be employed to the benefit of navy personnel. This would facilitate a ‘screen-and-stream’ approach which allows military mental health practitioners (1) to screen military personnel comprehensively and (2) to identify and stream quickly those whose resilience appears to be compromised for further assessment and targeted intervention by appropriate support providers.","PeriodicalId":34043,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Psychological Assessment","volume":"5 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"81627473","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Generalised anxiety disorder in adolescents in Ghana: Examination of the psychometric properties of the Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7 scale","authors":"Samuel Adjorlolo","doi":"10.4102/AJOPA.V1I0.10","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4102/AJOPA.V1I0.10","url":null,"abstract":"The Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) is a self-report scale used to assess general anxiety symptoms. Although the GAD-7 has been found to be a valid scale among adults, studies examining its psychometric properties among adolescents in high-income countries are notably limited and particularly non-existent in low- and middle-income countries. The current study addresses this lacuna by investigating the factorial validity, construct validity, internal consistency and discriminant accuracy of the GAD-7. Data were collected from 553 adolescents (boys = 231; average age = 16.85) recruited from a senior high school in Ghana, a sub-Saharan African country, using cross-sectional self-report methodology. The result supports a unidimensional structure of the GAD-7 that was invariant across gender. The GAD-7 correlates significantly with measures of anxiety, suicidal tendencies and mental well-being, suggesting construct validity. The internal consistency of the GAD-7, based on the mean inter-item correlation value of 0.24 and Cronbach’s a = 0.69, is adequate. The GAD-7 similarly discriminated between individuals at high risk of suicidal tendencies and depression from those with low or no risk, with area under curve values of 0.71 and 0.70, respectively. The GAD-7 is a reliable and valid measure to screen for generalised anxiety disorder among adolescents in Ghana.","PeriodicalId":34043,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Psychological Assessment","volume":"34 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"75102864","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}