Physical Performance Tests

Evaluation of the Strength Aptitude Test and Other Fitness Tests to Qualify Air Force Recruits for Physically Demanding Specialties

“…Injury risk is an important criterion for selection measures such as the SAT. As summarized by Blakley et al (1994), Gebhardt and Baker (2010a), and others, personnel selection tests for physical abilities (and requiring a minimum level of physical strength) can ensure that employees in physically demanding jobs can complete the requisite tasks safely; that is, they are less likely to be injured. Note the caveat that this does not apply to all jobs-only to physically demanding ones, which 10 The maximum score that can be obtained on the SAT at the MEPS is 110 pounds.…”

Development of a Physical Employment Testing Battery for Armor Soldiers: 19D Cavalry Scout and 19K M1 Armor Crewman

“…Along with values for the cut-scores, the type of cut-offs need to be established as well. For testing batteries, such as the ones presented in this report, there are three main types of cut scores: multiple hurdle, compensatory, and hybrid (13). For a multiple hurdle test, a potential recruit would need to reach a minimum score on each test to pass the test (e.g., scoring at least 60/100 points on all four tests).…”

“…A number of studies have shown, however, that this score is not highly correlated with the performance of the physically demanding tasks performed by Soldiers (17,23). Furthermore, the APFT score includes adjustments for age and sex, not only biasing for/against certain groups, but making it potentially legally indefensible if used as a screening tool for entrance into certain MOSs (13). Using physically demanding tasks corresponding to an MOS as a screening assessment is not practical and may violate the EEOC Uniform Guidelines on Employment Selection Procedures (9178).…”

“…Soldiers were in a kneeling position facing the Arm Ergometer with the center crank adjusted to shoulder height. The total number of revolutions was recorded (12,13).…”

A Comparison of Applicants' and Incumbents' Mean Scores on Health Constructs and Personality Constructs. A Follow‐up Study of Military Recruits in a Selection Setting

“…Most self‐enhancement studies have been made on different personality constructs, such as, the Big Five dimensions (e.g., Ones et al, ; Viswesvaran & Ones, ). This may be an effect of predominant recruitment strategies, where health is assessed by physical performance tests (Gebhardt & Baker, ), and not by means of self‐report. Validity studies on self‐reported health have dealt with national health and mortality surveys, where self‐report differences are related to different demographics, such as sex, age (Lindeboom & van Doorslaer, ), nationality (Jürges, ), or affectivity (Watson & Pennebaker, ).…”