The Personnel Selection Inventory – PSI-7PST is a psychological assessment that measures an individual’s attitudes to a variety of issues using a number of scales. The PSI-7PST was designed to offer businesses and industries a psychologically sound, research-based screening device that would go beyond the routine methods of interviews and background checks.
Counterproductive behaviour can result in significant losses for many organizations. These losses are often caused by individuals who steal time, merchandise or money from their employers; by some who exhibit uncooperative or irresponsible attitudes towards co-workers, customers and supervisors; and by people who indirectly contribute to increased insurance rates through negligence or irresponsible behaviour.
Emerging from as many as 26 years of research, the PSI-7PST has provided employers with a valid, fair and cost-effective means of identifying job applicants’ attitudes towards positive work traits. The Inventory can reliably predict job-related behaviour, a function most other screening techniques cannot perform. This instrument is therefore useful in identifying those individuals likely to engage in counterproductive behaviour or likely to commit unsafe, negligent or even violent acts on the job.
The Scales Used for PSI-7PST
A brief description is now provided for the scales that the PSI-7PST uses to assess the attitudes of a potential employee:
Drug Avoidance (DA)
A high score on this scale represents the greater probability that the applicant is not currently using illegal drugs and that s/he will not use illicit drugs on the job.
Tenure or Job Commitment (TE)
A high score here reflects the greater probability that the applicant has no past history of job instability and will not quit the job prematurely.
Employee/Customer Relations (CR)
The higher the score on this scale, the greater the probability that the applicant has a positive customer service orientation and will get along well with others.
Safety (SF)
A high score on this scale represents the greater probability that the applicant has no recent history of on-the-job accidents and that s/he believes accidents can be controlled through improved safety consciousness.
Work Values (WV)
Here, a high score means that the probability is greater that the applicant will be more productive and more enthusiastic and that s/he believes personal effort can determine success.
Supervision Attitudes (SA)
A high score on this scale represents the greater probability that the applicant will do the work assigned, respond appropriately to supervision and obey company policy.
Productivity (PR)
The higher the score on this scale, the greater the probability that the applicant can be counted on to consistently follow through on assigned tasks and work quickly and efficiently.
Validity/ Candidness (VA)
The Validity/Candidness Scale identifies applicants who completed the inventory in a socially desirable manner. Low scores indicate a tendency to exaggerate positive qualities and minimize negative traits whereas high scores represent the greater probability that the applicant’s responses are indicative of his or her actual attitudes and opinions.
Validity/Accuracy (AC)
The Validity/Accuracy Scale determines if the applicant both understood the inventory and carefully completed it. A high score on this scale represents the greater probability that the applicant both understood and carefully completed the inventory.
Employability Index
The Employability Index is a composite score that provides a quick reference to the applicant’s overall suitability for hire.
Scores
Percentile scores on these scales give the ranking of the applicant relative to other applicants in the general population.
Standard scores indicate an applicant’s absolute score on each of these scales ranging from zero to 100. This score indicates how qualified the applicant is without comparing his or her score to other applicants. Higher scores indicate that the applicant is more qualified.
Administration and Results:
The assessment may be individually or group administered.
Although not a timed assessment, the PSI-7PST is adequately completed within 45 minutes.
Once scored, a computer-generated report is created that reflects each individual’s scores. This report also provides a list of both Negative and Positive Indicators as well as a list of interview questions. An overall rating of Acceptable or Not Acceptable is also provided.
If required, a spreadsheet comparing the scores of those assessed can also be provided.