Work Value Differentiation and Profile Elevation: What Do They Predict?

The current study examined work value differentiation and profile elevation (PE). Using a sample of 251 college students who provided data on the O*NET Work Importance Profiler online, it was found that (1) when differentiation of work values was calculated using three indices (i.e., high–low differentiation, Iachan differentiation, and variance differentiation), only Iachan differentiation positively related to indecision; (2) none of the three indices of differentiation related to career maturity; (3) work value PE positively related to extraversion and openness and negatively related to depressive symptoms and career indecision but was unrelated to career certainty and neuroticism; and (4) work value PE moderated the relationship between Iachan differentiation and career indecision. The findings from this study have valuable implications for both vocational counselors and clients and should help to improve the utility of individuals’ work values results.

Perceptions of Vocational Interest

The current study investigated how self- and other-ratings of vocational interests converge among student–parent dyads. Using the Personal Globe Inventory–Short, we obtained data from a pooled sample of 271 (high school senior and university) student–parent dyads. Participants rated their own vocational interests and those of the other dyad member. First, profile correlations revealed high levels of self-other agreement, moderate levels of assumed similarity, and low levels of similarity and reciprocity in vocational interests. These correlations are highly similar to those found in personality research. Second, profile elevation showed a reversed pattern compared to interest perceptions, with high levels of self-other agreement and moderate levels of assumed similarity, indicating that profile elevation may mostly be an artifact/rater bias and not a substantive factor. Ipsatization of the vocational interest scales somewhat reduced profile elevation bias. Third, same-gender dyads overestimated their similarity in vocational interests more than different-gender dyads.

Comparison of Two Methods of MMPI-2 Profile Classification

The present study investigated the extent of agreement of the highest scale method and the best-fit method in matching MMPI-2 profiles to database code-type profiles and considered profile characteristics that may relate to agreement or disagreement of code-type matches by these two methods. A sample of 519 MMPI-2 profiles that had been classified into database profile code types by these two methods was studied. Resulting code-type matches were classified into three groups: identical (30%), similar (39%), and different (31%), and the profile characteristics of profile elevation, dispersion, and profile code-type definition were studied. Profile code-type definition was significantly different across the three groups with identical and similar match profile groups showing greater profile code-type definition and the different group consisting of profiles that were less well-defined.