Some aspects of the reliability and validity of the Texas Occupational Interest Analyzer (TOIA) when used with secondary school students

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1968

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Abstract

A study of the effectiveness of the TOIA in differentiating the interest patterns of male and female students. The TOIA was administered to 890 high school students. Correlation coefficients computed for each sub-scale for each sex at each grade level, were negative and significant (p < .05). Each sub-scale assessed an independent area of occupational interest. Z ratios for each sex at each grade level indicated few significant differences. Students' vocational interests were well defined by the 9th grade and remained relatively stable, although females' interests were somewhat less stable. Male students' dominant interest areas were Mechanical, Science, Business, and People. Females were interested in activities involving People, Business, and Art. Occupations involving Language activities were of little interest to either sex. Correlation coefficients between TOIA sub-scales and students' expressed interests were positive and significant (p < .05). It is concluded that the TOIA effectively differentiates the occupational interests of secondary school students.

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Keywords

Vocational interests--Testing, High school students--Texas

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