The Strong Interest Inventory (SII) is a psychological test used in career assessment. It is also frequently used for educational guidance as one of the most popular personality assessment tools. The test was developed in 1927 by psychologist E.K. Strong, Jr. to help people exiting the military find suitable jobs. It was revised later by Jo-Ida Hansen, and David Campbell. The modern version is based on the typology (Holland Codes) of psychologist John L. Holland. The newly revised inventory consists of 291 items, each of which asks you to indicate your preference from three responses. The test can typically be taken in 25 minutes after which the results must be scored by computer. It is then possible to show how certain interests compare with the interests of people successfully employed in specific occupations. Access to the comparison database and interpretation of the results usually incurs a fee. Strong Interest Inventory is a registered trademark of Stanford University Press. The results include:
- Scores on the level of interest on each of the six Holland Codes or General Occupational Themes.
- Scores on 25 Basic Interest Scales (e.g. art, science, and public speaking)
- Scores on 211 Occupational Scales which indicate the similarity between the respondent's interests and those of people working in each of the 211 occupations.
- Scores on 4 Personal Style Scales (learning, working, leadership, and risk-taking).
- Scores on 3 Administrative Scales used to identify test errors or unusual profiles.
References
- University of Kansas, Career Assessments & Tests. Counselling and Psychological Services web page.
- Matching Personalities and Majors. Karen A. Lefkowitz.
- Strong Interest Inventory®. Commercial site.
- Effects of Strong Interest Inventory Feedback on Career Beliefs. Day, Michael Andrew; Luzzo, Darrell Anthony. Research report, 1997.
See also
- Career development
- Personality Psychology
- Holland Codes
- Kuder Occupational Interest Survey
- Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
