Equivalence Of Constructs Measured By Job-Specific And Commercially Available Aptitude-Tests

This study examined the equivalence of constructs underlying scores on tests designed to measure the knowledge, skills, and abilities required by specific jobs with the constructs underlying scores on aptitude tests taken from published test batteries. Several models of construct equivalence, differing in their assumptions about factor patterns, factor loadings, and variable uniquenesses, were assessed with confirmatory factor analysis. Results indicated that the job-specific tests measured constructs that were essentially equivalent with the constructs measured by the commercially available tests, although the magnitude of unique residual variances differed among the two sets of tests. Furthermore, multiple-groups confirmatory factor analysis indicated that tests loaded equivalently on shared constructs across several sex and race subgroups, although unique residual variances differed across groups. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed.