The professional status of psychometrists places them in a position where they can provide a specialist function independently and their services should therefore be relevant to a variety of settings.
The aim was to explore if the training of student psychometrists contributes to the relevance of this category in terms of the
There is a paucity of research on training in the psychometrist category.
Data were obtained from the files of a cohort of student psychometrists who were registered in the Department of Psychology at the University of South Africa (UNISA). Follow-up surveys on training and work contexts were conducted amongst these students and their in-practice supervisors to confirm and supplement the data. In addition, a survey on the national availability of training programmes for psychometrists was conducted at South African universities.
Gender and racial skewness in terms of the
Recommendations are made regarding the structure and content of training programmes. This information could be applied in adapting existing programmes and in developing new programmes.
Ultimately, these recommendations could contribute to the value of the psychometrist category as a professional resource relevant to a variety of settings.
Psychology was first recognised as a profession in South Africa in 1974. Since then, there have been various changes in the levels of professional registration and the categories defined in each level (Abel & Louw,
As an established sub-discipline of psychology, psychometrics is included in the teaching of the subject at pre-graduate and post-graduate levels. The potential role of psychometrists in the test development process is gaining importance (Labourwise,
The present study considered the extent to which the psychometrist category could be regarded as a professional resource relevant to a variety of settings. More specifically, the contribution of the training of student psychometrists to the relevance of this category was explored. Based on a literature review, relevance was defined in terms of the demographic profile of student psychometrists, the scope of services potentially provided by them and the content of the training programme.
Previous research in psychometrics has primarily focused on test development and validity studies (e.g. Hill
There is a lack of related research on the training of psychometrists. The aim of the present study was to explore if the training of student psychometrists contributes to the relevance of this category in terms of the demographic profile of student psychometrists, the scope of services potentially provided by them and the content of training programmes. The focus was on a cohort of students at a specific university and these findings were contextualised in terms of the national availability of training for psychometrists. Surveys were conducted with three participant groups (i.e. student psychometrists, in-practice supervisors and university departments) and the results are reported below for each of these groups. This information is subsequently integrated in the discussion on the three issues related to relevance. The manuscript concludes with recommendations regarding the structure and content of training, which could contribute to the value of the psychometrist category as a professional resource relevant to a variety of settings.
The contribution of the training of professionals in psychology to the relevance of psychological services is discussed in the literature. The issues raised can be grouped into three categories related to student demographics, the scope of services and the content of training programmes. Although the available research focused primarily on the categories of registered counsellor and psychologist, the findings reflect the local sociopolitical context and are therefore relevant regardless of registration category.
Firstly, representation in terms of the demographic profile of students and professionals in these fields was examined. In terms of gender, race
Secondly, the scope of psychological services was deemed inadequate. The main issues are the availability of professionals across different levels of registration and the availability of services across geographical areas and sectors. Pillay
In the third place, the content of teaching and training programmes was critically evaluated in terms of their relevance to the South African context. There is a call for greater emphasis on primary healthcare and on the relationship between culture and mental health that has implications for the training of professionals in the discipline (Pillay
An exploratory approach was utilised to analyse secondary data (i.e. existing student data) as well as survey data. Descriptive statistics are reported and open-ended responses thematically categorised.
The focus was on a cohort of students at a specific university. Secondary data were obtained from the files of the student psychometrists who were registered for the equivalence programme in the Department of Psychology at UNISA from 2006–2011. Questionnaires were also distributed to the UNISA students
There were three participant groups.
Data from the files of the 154 student psychometrists, who were registered for the UNISA programme from 2006–2011, were analysed. This can be considered a non-probability, purposive sample. To confirm and supplement the information obtained from the files, a follow-up questionnaire on their training and work contexts was sent electronically to those students for whom contact details were available (
Biographical composition of the UNISA student psychometrists in terms of gender, race and geographical area.
Variable | Total sample ( |
Survey sample ( |
||
---|---|---|---|---|
Number | % | Number | % | |
Female | 138 | 89.6 | 32 | 88.9 |
Male | 16 | 10.4 | 4 | 11.1 |
White | 101 | 65.6 | 25 | 69.4 |
African | 22 | 14.3 | 4 | 11.1 |
Asian | 15 | 9.7 | 7 | 19.4 |
Mixed-race | 5 | 3.2 | - | - |
Unknown | 11 | 7.2 | - | - |
Gauteng | 88 | 57.1 | 11 | 50.0 |
Western Cape | 33 | 21.4 | 3 | 13.6 |
KwaZulu-Natal | 19 | 12.3 | 6 | 27.3 |
Limpopo | 6 | 3.9 | - | - |
Eastern Cape | 3 | 1.9 | - | - |
North West | 2 | 1.3 | 1 | 4.5 |
Mpumalanga | 2 | 1.3 | 1 | 4.5 |
Northern Cape | 1 | 0.6 | - | - |
An electronic questionnaire on training and work contexts was also sent to the 119 in-practice supervisors who were involved in the UNISA programme. Responses were received from 26 supervisors (22%). Dated contact details were partially responsible for the low response rate.
The findings for the UNISA students were contextualised in terms of the national availability of training for psychometrists. The Psychology, Industrial Psychology and Educational Psychology Departments at 18 South African universities were invited to participate in an electronic survey on training programmes for second-tier registration. A total of 48 departments were contacted. Feedback regarding the availability of programmes was received from 34 departments, that is, a response rate of 63%. Combined with HPCSA (
The measuring instruments consisted of:
An electronic questionnaire that was sent to the student psychometrists who were registered for the UNISA programme. This questionnaire comprised 20 items requesting biographical information, and details on their registration status and work contexts. They were also asked to comment on whether their theoretical training and the practical experience had prepared them for their current employment. An open-ended question allowed them to reflect on the degree content, the registration process and opportunities for psychometrists in general.
An electronic questionnaire that was sent to the in-practice supervisors who were involved in the UNISA programme. The questionnaire comprised 10 items on the current work contexts of the supervisors including reference to the assessments done. They also had to indicate the opportunities available at their place of employment for student psychometrists and psychometrists. Again an opportunity was provided for reflection on the degree content, the registration process and opportunities for psychometrists in general.
An electronic questionnaire that was sent to the universities. This questionnaire comprised 22 items that explored the availability, as well as the structure and content of training programmes, for second-tier registration.
Data for the student psychometrists were obtained from the application forms, the in-practice supervisors’ reports, the student portfolios and the HPCSA Form 225. The HPCSA register of psychometrists was consulted to determine how many of the students were registered (HPCSA,
Ethical clearance for the research project was granted by UNISA. University web pages and the HPCSA’s (
Frequency distributions for quantifiable variables are reported together with additional information obtained by means of cross-tabulations. The responses to the open-ended questions in the follow-up surveys were thematically categorised.
The results are reported separately for the three participant groups. These are then integrated in a discussion that addresses the three issues identified in the literature review.
The student psychometrists, who were enrolled for the UNISA programme, had completed their honours degrees at different universities countrywide before entering the equivalence programme at UNISA. The majority (58%) were UNISA graduates. Ninety-six (62.3%) of the students were included in the 2014 HPCSA register of psychometrists (HPCSA,
Practical training and placement contexts of the Unisa student psychometrists.
Duration ( |
Number | % |
---|---|---|
Full time | 128 | 83.1 |
Part time | 23 | 14.9 |
Unknown | 3 | 1.9 |
One placement | 134 | 87.0 |
Two placements | 19 | 12.3 |
Three placements | 1 | 0.6 |
Completed | 132 | 85.7 |
Cancelled | 22 | 14.3 |
Clinical | 12 | 6.9 |
Counselling | 62 | 35.6 |
Educational | 32 | 18.4 |
Industrial | 68 | 39.1 |
Children and adolescents only | 30 | 17.8 |
Children and adolescents and adults | 55 | 32.5 |
Adolescents and adults only | 21 | 12.4 |
Adults only | 63 | 37.3 |
Clinical | 40 | 23.7 |
Counselling | 38 | 22.5 |
Educational | 33 | 19.5 |
Industrial | 30 | 17.8 |
Research | 1 | 0.6 |
Psychometrist | 5 | 3.0 |
More than one category | 16 | 9.5 |
Unknown | 6 | 3.6 |
Tests generally included in the practical training according to category.
Variable | Test |
---|---|
Individual intelligence tests | Junior South African Individual Scales (JSAIS) |
Senior South African Individual Scale–Revised (SSAIS-R) | |
Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) | |
Group tests of intelligence | Raven’s Progressive Matrices (APM, RPM, CPM, SPM) |
Learning potential tests | Cognitive Process Profile (CPP) |
Aptitude tests | Aptitude Test for School Beginners (ASB) |
Differential Aptitude Tests (DAT) | |
Senior Aptitude Test (SAT) | |
Specific cognitive functions | Bender Visual-Motor Gestalt Test (Bender-Gestalt) |
General tests of mathematic proficiency | |
General tests of reading and spelling | |
Personality questionnaires | High School Personality Questionnaire (HSPQ) |
Fifteen Factor Questionnaire + (15FQ+) | |
Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (16PF) | |
Jung Personality Questionnaire/Type Indicator (JPQ/JTI) | |
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) | |
Occupational Personality Profile (OPP) | |
Occupational Personality Questionnaire (OPQ) | |
Projective tests | Goodenough-Harris Draw-a-Person test (DAP) |
Interest questionnaires | 19 Field Interest Inventory (19FII) |
South African Vocational Interest Inventory (SAVII) | |
Self-directed Search Questionnaire (SDS) | |
Learning styles and value scales | Value Scale (VS) |
In their replies to the follow-up survey, 47.2% of the respondents indicated that their theoretical training adequately prepared them for the practical placement and 75% indicated that their supervision adequately contributed to the required skills. The reasons for not registering as a psychometrist included a lapse in the required time period, problems with the registration process and pursuing an alternative registration category. Of those respondents who registered as psychometrists and who were employed in a context involving assessment (
In terms of the theoretical training, limitations in the teaching of core skills were mentioned. The areas identified included instrumental knowledge and skills, communication and interpersonal skills, and practice management and referral skills:
The theoretical training did not cover sufficient statistical concepts to fully understand psychometric test development and results interpretation. Administration and use of assessments would have complemented the theoretical training.
In terms of the practical placements, inadequate supervision, a lack of experience in contingency management and insufficient contextual knowledge were mentioned:
I needed to do additional certification … which is costly. I furthermore required additional exposure in the corporate environment seeing as this was not covered adequately during my internship. I was completely unprepared as to what to expect in a variety of sessions as well as how to handle clients who fall outside the “norm” …
General comments on the degree programme, registration and opportunities for student psychometrists and psychometrists are presented in
Survey student sample: Examples of general comments on the degree programme, registration and opportunities for student psychometrists and psychometrists.
I think it is a very needed qualification as there are few places that offer this programme!
It was a great opportunity offered to us psychology Honours and BPsych students given the strict and limited positions offered for the master’s degree!
Students require exposure to a greater variety of testing environments as well as the sufficient training in a variety of assessments. … Students are generally ill prepared for the working environment post registration.
They should also include a module which guides a person step by step on buying tests, networking, how to open your own practice, …, people to contact for support and resources.
There needs to be appropriate partnerships with relevant companies/organisations with who the interns will be placed. … Psychometrists need to be exposed to all areas of psychometrics … in their internships and I would suggest that certain hours in each field be required in the internships.
… Blended internship programmes with rotating organisations may be useful in that regard.
More individual support and guidance from university lecturer.
I experienced the registration process to be smooth and efficient …
I registered for the board exam twice and both times had trouble from the HPCSA because my honours degree was completed at NWU and the internship through Unisa…
There is a general consensus regarding the lack of opportunities for interns to hone their skills, let alone find an internship!
There is much greater opportunity for interns (more than for fully fledged psychometrists) in organisations … Sadly, once their internships are completed, psychometrists struggle to find permanent employment in organisations with, from what I personally have seen, most having to start private practices or function alongside a private psychologist.
HR professionals are frequently utilising psychometric assessments or assessments with psychometric properties that are not registered as psychological by the HPCSA and can therefore be utilised by anyone undergoing the private training. These persons are often preferred as employees as they have HR knowledge …
There is a lack of opportunities for psychometrists and counsellors. The vacancies that are present require HR experience or some experience which we did not gain through internship making us less employable.
… I found psychologists unwilling to assist as they viewed me as taking business away from them …
Supervisors indicated that a range of tests was used in the contexts where they worked and approximately half of them used computer-based and Internet-delivered assessment. The majority of the supervisors (80.8%) indicated that their context had placement opportunities for student psychometrists, whereas only about half (53.8%) had employment opportunities for psychometrists. General comments on the degree programme, registration and opportunities for student psychometrists and psychometrists are presented in
In-practice supervisor sample: Examples of general comments on the degree programme, registration and opportunities for student psychometrists and psychometrists.
It would be of value if greater structure can be given to the programme for the supervisor as well as the intern.
It will be important if they can be assisted with specific list of psychometric tests they should master before going for internship.
Training in a practice or organization takes up a lot of time. It will be better if psychometrists could already have knowledge of the assessment batteries and immediately be able to assist psychologists with the heavy work load.
We also found that the students starting as interns have very little understanding of what it ‘means’ to be assessing people, the responsibility of getting things ‘right’ and how these results can impact on a person. …
There exists a high need for the above practitioners, BUT only if they also have additional HR, managerial, social, business, consulting, etc. skills. Too often these students/practitioners are skilled in a very limited way and our own practice has no real interest in them and neither does business at large …
Registration process and requirements became quite confusing …
The fact that the Professional Board for Psychology struggles to set and stabilize meaningful guidelines and give a clear job description for BPsych and BPsych equivalence graduates complicates the training and registration process. It also affects how the workplace is responding to this category of registration.
The registration process appears to be sound …
… but opportunities for psychometrist interns seems very limited to industrial psychologists and the educational context … that provides good exposure to child assessment and organisational work, but limited exposure to certain fields in assessment, such as adult cognitive assessment.
We struggled tremendously to find a suitably qualified person in the very rural areas and had to appoint a person who is not yet finished with her qualification. … There are still too many unqualified people doing selection and placement who block access to paid jobs for qualified psychometrists.
It is mostly the big practices with more than one psychologist who can afford to employ a psychometrist full time.
It assists those registered to focus on core aspects of psychology practice rather than spending time conducting assessments.
Eighteen South African universities were requested to partake in the study. This amounted to a total of 48 departments. Thirty-four of these departments responded with six departments presenting a programme that leads to registration as psychometrist and six departments planning such a programme (refer to
Number of programmes terminated, current or planned per type of university department.
Department | Terminated | Current | Planned |
---|---|---|---|
Psychology | 5 | 1 | 5 |
Industrial Psychology | 2 | 5 | 1 |
Educational Psychology | - | - | - |
Four of these programmes were to be implemented again.
The reasons provided for the termination of programmes were a lack of capacity to meet the training requirements (e.g.
Details on the structure and content of training programmes (current or terminated) were obtained from seven departments. These programmes accommodated full-time students or a combination of full-time and part-time students with a median number of 40 students. On average 55% of the students were white, 31% black
The aim of the present study was to explore if the training of student psychometrists contributes to the relevance of this category in terms of the demographic profile of student psychometrists, the scope of services potentially provided by them and the content of training programmes.
Although there were a few exceptions, the racial representation in the programmes as reported by seven of the university departments seems to reflect the published trend (e.g. Pillay
One of the issues identified in the literature is the availability of professionals across different levels of registration. The availability of the psychometrist function is influenced by the training opportunities in this field and whether student psychometrists in fact register on completion of the training. Considering the findings based on the university survey, there seem to be limited training opportunities in this category, especially for students in the psychology and educational psychology departments. This was linked to limited job opportunities by some of the university departments. The consistency of teaching and training in industrial psychology departments (HPCSA, HR professionals are frequently utilising psychometric assessments or assessments with psychometric properties that are not registered as psychological by the HPCSA and can therefore be utilised by anyone undergoing the private training. These persons are often preferred as employees as they have HR knowledge …
A relatively large percentage (62.3%) of the cohort of student psychometrists in the present study were registered with the HPCSA, especially if one considers the low numbers reported for registered counsellors (Abel & Louw,
A second problematic issue identified in the literature is the availability of services across geographical areas and sectors. A lack of equitable services is reflected in the concentration of placement opportunities and work contexts in certain geographical areas. Concerns raised by, amongst others, Pillay
In terms of the specific contexts, a small number of the UNISA students did their practical training in clinical contexts. The trainee’s role, when assessing for emotional problems, rehabilitation, and so on, is limited in terms of the scope of practice for psychometrists. Changes in the HPCSA regulations (HPCSA,
The training programme for psychometrists presented by the Department of Psychology at UNISA was based on the requirements of the Professional Board for Psychology of the HPCSA (
The core skills areas included in the practical training of student psychometrists are: instrumental knowledge and skills; communication and interpersonal interaction; contingency management; and practice management and referral. Both students and in-practice supervisors who were involved in the UNISA programme indicated a need for greater preparation in terms of these skills areas during the academic teaching. For example, it was stated that training in the administration and interpretation of a broad range of tests should precede the placement. However, this has implications for the capacity required for the programme, an issue that is already perceived as problematic. In the case of the registered counsellor category, the HPCSA has specified a list of tests to be included in teaching and training (HPCSA,
Candidates, in addition to the academic training, have to successfully complete an approved full-time practicum of 6-month duration, or an equivalent part-time practicum to be completed within a period of 12 months. The practical training has to be done in an appropriate context under the supervision of a registered psychologist or psychometrist (independent practice) (HPCSA,
The core of a test battery is selected according to the specific services provided by a placement and the age groups concerned. The UNISA students were expected to gain additional experience if such a battery was limited. In general, these students were exposed to the full range of tests as defined by the HPCSA (HPCSA,
Capacity at the various universities impacts on the structure and content of the different programmes, and the equivalence option provides for variation in this regard. However, the Professional Board for Psychology of the HPCSA aims at greater alignment in training programmes at a national level (HPCSA,
The findings for the student psychometrists who were registered at UNISA reiterated the issues raised in the literature for the profession of psychology in general. The open and distance learning nature of teaching at UNISA implies diversity in terms of demographics and geographical distribution thus contributing to the generalisability of these findings. However, diversity in the training models at the different training institutions imply that similar studies need to be done at other universities before a comprehensive picture of the national situation can be formed. Continued reflexive research is required for all professional categories, including the psychometrist category. Both training and practice should be considered. The latter implies the inclusion of a representative sample of psychometrists in future research.
The aim of the present study was to explore if the training of student psychometrists contributes to the relevance of this category. Specifically, issues concerning the demographic profile of student psychometrists, the scope of services potentially provided by them and the content of training programmes were investigated. Secondary data and survey research were used to explore if the training of student psychometrists contributes to the relevance of this category. A specific cohort of students was studied, and the findings were contextualised in terms of the national availability of training for psychometrists.
The skewness found in the demographic profile of the student psychometrists confirms the trends in professional psychology in general; in that the majority of the students were white females. Consideration of race and proficiency in indigenous languages in selection criteria will remain a priority. Pretorius (
Considering the needs of the present student cohort and their in-practice supervisors, professional modules preceding the placement should include practical skills that could then be honed during the actual placement. This could prove to be challenging in programmes where the theoretical and practical training take place concurrently. The request for in-depth preparation in a broad range of tests also has implications in terms of the capacity of those presenting the teaching. Another dilemma facing the developers and presenters of teaching and training programmes is the non-specific nature of the registration category versus the context-specific training implied by individual placements. Rotation in placements was suggested as a potential solution. The importance of the university’s involvement during the practicum was emphasised.
The categorisation of psychometrist as a specialist skills area was seen as advantageous from a career perspective. The resource is used in all psychological service provision contexts (although the available training programmes seem to favour the organisational context). Concerns regarding the prevalence of services in private practice applied to the present student cohort, but it could be argued that independent practitioners and smaller consultation firms render counselling, educational and organisational services to all sectors. The expectations of potential placement organisations could limit opportunities for student psychometrists. However, finding a job after registration seemed to be a greater problem. Both the UNISA students and in-practice supervisors highlighted issues such as the cost related to the psychometrists’ services, requirements for a skills set not necessarily included at second-tier registration and professional job reservation. Consideration of the findings of this study could enhance the existing value of the psychometrist category as a professional resource relevant to a variety of settings.
The authors thank Ms Liesl Strasheim for her support in capturing the secondary data.
The authors declare that they have no financial or personal relationships which may have inappropriately influenced them in writing this article.
R.v.E. (University of South Africa) was the project co-ordinator. R.v.E., V.v.D. (University of South Africa) and H.E. (University of South Africa) contributed to the survey development, data gathering and analysis, and the writing of the article.
The role of race in the relevance debate is by no means static. However, in the South African context it remains a factor in the categorisation of people in terms of opportunities and resources. As such, the related classifications were used in the present study.
To ensure consistency, the term ‘students’ is used for the sample in the follow-up survey although these individuals were no longer enrolled in the programme.
The personal detail available on the student files was used to search the register and the search was therefore not necessarily exhaustive.
In two of the programmes, the majority of the students were black.