Description

The Holland Vocational Self-Efficacy Test (TVSE-57), also known as the Τεστ Επαγγελματικής Αυτεπάρκειας (ΤΕΠΑ), is a psychometric instrument based on Holland’s model of vocational development. It consists of 57 statements describing different professional activities and aims to assess an individual’s vocational self-efficacy, namely the perceived ability to successfully perform various occupational tasks.

The test is designed to provide information about an individual’s professional interests, perceived abilities, and possible vocational orientation.

Objective

The main objective of the ΤΕΠΑ is to evaluate an individual’s ability to recognize and complete professional activities.

Based on Holland’s theoretical framework, occupations are classified into six major categories:

Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional.

The results can support vocational guidance, career counselling, and educational decision-making.

Structure and Content

The ΤΕΠΑ includes 57 items describing different occupational activities. Each activity corresponds to one of Holland’s six vocational personality categories.

The instrument evaluates the degree to which individuals feel capable of engaging successfully in different types of professional activities.

Scoring Method

The evaluation of the ΤΕΠΑ is conducted at two levels:

The first level concerns the assessment of the individual subscales, while the second level concerns the overall evaluation of the test.

The total score is calculated by adding the scores of the individual subscales. The three subscales with the highest scores form a three-letter Holland code, which corresponds to specific occupational categories.

Data Analysis and Use

The ΤΕΠΑ was administered to a sample of 1,782 students attending the third grade of lower secondary school.

Scores are expressed both as percentile values and T-scores. The mean scores of the subscales were reported as follows:

Realistic occupations: M = 20.25 (SD = 8.45)
Investigative occupations: M = 19.23 (SD = 6.82)
Artistic occupations: M = 25.94 (SD = 7.74)
Social occupations: M = 18.60 (SD = 5.61)
Enterprising occupations: M = 25.18 (SD = 7.93).

The results also indicate differences in standardized scores between boys and girls.

Validity

To examine the structural validity of the test, confirmatory factor analysis was conducted. The results indicated that the theoretical model was supported by the data.

Correlation coefficients among the dimensions ranged from r = 0.29 to r = 0.54 (p < 0.001), supporting the relationships between the vocational dimensions assessed by the instrument.

Reliability

The internal consistency of the ΤΕΠΑ was evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, which ranged from α = 0.83 to α = 0.93, indicating high reliability of the subscales.

Applications

The ΤΕΠΑ can be used in educational settings, career counselling, vocational guidance services, and research studies examining professional interests and vocational self-efficacy.

It provides structured information that can assist students and individuals in exploring suitable occupational fields according to their perceived abilities and vocational characteristics.

References

Χατζή, Α., & Χατζησταματίου, Μ. (2008). Ψυχομετρικά Εργαλεία Επαγγελματικού Προσανατολισμού: Εγχειρίδιο Χρήσης. Αθήνα: Παιδαγωγικό Ινστιτούτο.