Validation of Accessions Screening Tools: Cycle 22 Evaluation
Abstract
In addition to educational, physical, and moral screens, the U.S. Army relies on the Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT), a composite score from the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB), to select new Soldiers into the Army. Although AFQT is useful for selecting new Soldiers, other personal attributes are important to Soldier performance and retention. Based on previous U.S. Army Research Institute (ARI) investigations, the Army selected one promising measure, the Tailored Adaptive Personality Assessment System (TAPAS), beginning administration to applicants in 2009. Since that time criterion data were compiled at 6-month intervals from administrative records, schools for selected military occupational specialties (MOS), and Soldiers in units. This is the 22nd in a series of biannual criterion-related validations of TAPAS and the fourth that has been conducted under a talent management support initiative known as Validation of Accessions Screening Tools (VAST). In this cycle, results are reported only for administrative criteria because data collections typically collected in training or in units were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The cumulative results suggest that TAPAS scores significantly predict a number of criteria of interest (e.g., attrition), indicating that the measure holds promise for both selection and classification purposes.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2022
- Accession Number
- AD1189406
Entities
People
- Colby K. Nesbitt
- Cristina D. Kirkendall
- Deirdre J. Knapp
Organizations
- Human Resources Research Organization