Disparate Impact Analysis of the Critical Hire-Personality Assessment

Pre-employment personality testing has become widely used across a variety of work settings. A relatively new area where pre-employment personality testing is being implemented is in the field of community-based corrections (CBCs). One instrument being used in CBCs for this purpose is the Critical Hire-Personality Assessment (CH-PA). Federal laws and hiring guidelines have been enacted that impact the use of pre-employment personality assessments such as the CH-PA. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, for example, prohibit employment discrimination based on gender, age, and racial/ethnic status. The present study examines if the CH-PA complies with federal laws and guidelines regarding employee selections by examining the degree to which the CH-PA scale and subscale scores differ based on CBC officer gender, age, and racial/ethnic status. Results revealed that the CH-PA scales and subscales do not differ in a manner that would significantly contribute to a disparate or adverse impact based on CBC officer applicant gender, age, and racial/ethnic status. Implications of these findings for CBC agencies are discussed.