Some considerations of the value of the psychiatric screening interview

Palmer

1997

Personnel Psychology

410

565

Virtually every previous review has concluded that structuring the selection interview improves its psychometric properties. This paper reviews the research literature in order to describe and evaluate the many ways interviews can be structured. Fifteen components of structure are identified that may enhance either the content of the interview or the evaluation process in the interview. Each component is explained in terms of its various operationalizations in the literature. Then, each component is critiqued in terms of its impact on numerous forms of reliability, validity, and user reactions. Finally, recommendations for research and practice are presented. It is concluded that interviews can be easily enhanced by using some of the many possible components of structure, and the improvement of this popular selection procedure should be a high priority for future research and practice.In the 80-year history of published research on employment interviewing (dating back to Scott, 1915), few conclusions have been more widely supported than the idea that structuring the interview enhances reliability and validity.

Section: Rate Each Answer or Use Multiple Scalesmentioning

confidence: 94%

Section: Review Of Components Of Structure 1 Base Questions On a Jobmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Review of Structure in the Selection Interview

Palmer

1997

Personnel Psychology

410

565

“…Other reliabilities cited were: Shaw (1952) .71-78, Prien (1962) .55 and .62, and Raines and Rohrer (1955 .15 for one sample. Flag (1961) reported 13 of 15 coefficients as significantly different from zero, and Zaccaria et al (1956) cited an estimate of .72 for their three-man boards.…”

Section: Predictions Of Psychiatric Ratings or Dischargementioning

confidence: 99%

The selection interview since 1949.

Ulrich¹,

Trumbo²

1965

Psychological Bulletin

225

110

Research literature on the selection interview since 1949 is reviewed. Major sections include validity studies, studies dealing with the accuracy of information obtained in the interview, and analytic and model-testing studies. Recurring evidence suggests that the interview may be most successful if limited to the assessment of personal relations and career motivation. Recent analytic studies involving content analyses and decision-making processes show promise of providing new insights into the interview process. (75 ref.)

“…Prien, & Brailey, 1960; Holtzman & Sells, 19S4;Kelly & Fiske, 1951;Flag, 1961;Woodworth, Barron, & MacKinnon, 1957). And, as already demonstrated, selection procedures based on validated criteria that are not job related are frequently unfair to individuals.With the present concern in business and education about the fairness of tests, psychologists would do well to continue insisting on demonstration of criterion-related validity when tests are used for selection decisions.…”

mentioning

confidence: 98%

Fair employment, sound psychometric practice, and reality: A dilemma and a partial solution.

O'Leary¹

1973

American Psychologist

Title Seven of the 1964 Civil Rights Act has led to the establishment of guidelines for effective job selection (EEOC, 1966), and two federal agencies (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission-EEOC-and Office of Federal Contracts Compliance -OFCC) have been set up to check how well Title Seven is being implemented. These regulatory agencies have incorporated the Standards for Educational and Psychological Tests and Manuals (APA, 1966) into their guidelines for effective selection. Furthermore, they have relied heavily on a panel of psychologists that, among other things, has recommended that the Commission [EEOC] advocate the use of a total personnel assessment system toward the attainment of equal employment opportunities for all Americans. The many components of an objective personnel assessment system, i.e., job analysis, development of criterion-related validity, psychological testing, recruitment, screening of applicants, interviewing, and the integration of pertinent personnel data, provide the employer with the basis for matching manpower requirements with human aptitudes and abilities that is most likely to be non-discriminatory within the spirit of the law.As this recommendation is implemented, selection procedures will not only become more fair than they are now, but a given company's selection efficiency 1 The author also has a part-time appointment at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.The author would like to thank Gertrude O'Leary for her conceptual suggestions, Monnie Sherberg for his critical comments, and Madge Zybko for her typing of the many manuscript revisions.Requests for reprints should be sent to Lawrence R.