A study on a criterion instrument for counselor selection

This study addressed itself to two main points: the construct validation of the Potential Interpersonal Competence Scale (PICS) and the identification of those personality traits as measured by the Sixteen Personality Factors and the Guilford-Zimmerman Temperament Survey (GZTS) which correlate significantly with test scores on the PICS. The PICS is an instrument developed by Remer and Sease (1974) for use as a criterion instrument in counselor trainee selection. Before it can be used for selection of counselor training candidates to the Master of Science in Guidance and Counseling program of De La Salle University, it was found necessary to show that the constructs of the PICS are valid for DLSU. It was necessary to show that the PICS differentiated between groups of people oriented towards the helping profession (such as those enrolled in the MS program) and those who were not (such as those enrolled in the Master of Business Administration). The 16 PF and the GZTS were used in the study to determine which personality traits measured by these instruments showed significant relationship with interpersonal competence as measured by the PICS. Group mean scores and standard deviations were computed for all the scales on the PICS for the three subject groups and for all the scales of the 16 PF and the GZTS for the counseling students and graduates. Ungrouped raw scores were used in these computations. Then, tests of significance of the difference of means between groups were computed for group means scores on the PICS, the 16Pf and the GZTS. Pearson r coefficients of correlation among the scales of the PICS were computed as well as coefficients of correlation between scores on the PICS and scores on the 16 PF, and scores on the PICS and scores on the GZTS. If it can be shown that the constructs of the PICS are valid and also which personality traits correlated with performance on the PICS, the use of these instruments together may refine the identification of counselors who show potential for success on the job